Hearts Enlighten
by ValiasGryphon
Summary: Five years after the fall of Org. XIII. Two members return from the dead, to stop a war from growing worse, the Organizations War. But can they do it alone or together? *AkuDemy DeadFic*
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Warnings: slight language, AkuDemy in far later chapters.

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_Dreaming..._

What is there to dream?

Seeking...

What is there to seek?

Longing...

What is there to long for?

Loving...

What is there to love?

Heart broken...?

_I haven't got one..._

Nothing. Nothing but a black void deprived of every sense but sight and sound. There was nothing to focus on, nor anything to speak to. Only black void surrounding. For a long time the dark void was what it saw, nothing more. Memory had been stolen, locked away. Movement was ceased to barely breathing, which was strange to be able to do in such a stark world. To keep its mind at least intact, it asked questions to the darkness, all the while answering them itself. Though it was merely in its mind. Time was not known, therefore it could not tell how long it was trapped in this prison, wishing to be free. But wishing doesn't get you far. It was a mere child's thing while innocence was fresh at heart. Heart... one it knew it lacked. Something warm, beating, full of emotions to actually feel and experience. It knew not of the deep feeling of such, able to express them, but not feel them.

_I'd do anything to get out of here._

But... you're technically dead.

I still want out... I want another chance, I don't want to be worthless.

You're not worthless.

But I was beaten. I did not want to fight, I wish I wasn't here.

But you are...

Not far from the first being, was another in the same condition, yet they did not know the other was next to them. The Dark had swallowed any image, to prevent them to see one another. The second being seemed to be in a nightmare, having been in the dark void slightly longer than the first. Drowning itself in a sulken state, the second being was almost to the point of madness. The first was merely lost, confused. So there the two beings were, stuck in a world of nothingness, imprisoned in their own minds. What they didn't know, was time itself outside this prison was ticking away faster than their minds could process if they knew. What felt like a mere minute to them, a month in the outside world passed, then another, and another. Each minute that ticked away in their minds was a month gone. Oh how they would realize what was happening out there... in the Light.

_It is Time..._

Who said that?

Come... be free...

Free!

Come to the Light... forget your evils... follow the Light.

I see nothing but Darkness.

_Look harder... follow the Light... follow the LIGHT._

It only took an instant, before both beings in their own prisons saw a blinding white light growing into a seven pointed star, and ever growing, about to consume the darkness. Somehow the first was able to flinch a hand, then its arm, slowly reaching out. The light began to grow and brought with it a sence of warmth. Somehow, the being was slowly freed of it's hold, and spoke for the first time through its throat than its mind. "It's... warm... FREE ME!" The white light thus, upon the requested, exploded, covering both beings in white light and warmth. Sound rushed into their ears like a thousand waterfalls, each roaring so loud, they threaten to silence their hearing forever. Everything was so blinding, they were forced to shut their eyes. Everything was coming back, memories returned, names given back, everything... except the thing they lack the most... their hearts.

_My name... is Axel._

My name... is Demyx.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Warnings: slight language

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Slowly, Axel's senses were brought back. Before his eyes even opened, he could feel he was on some sort of soft ground; sand. His hearing had picked up the sound of waves crashing upon a shoreline. His mind quickly processed the sound of the waves and the ground his was laying on. A rocky beach. Slowly, his eyes opened, taking in the bright light and colors of the world. It was indeed a shock to the pyro, having been in total darkness for as long as he remembered to see color once more. Now, was uneasy, weak arms, Axel pushed himself off the sand and sat up, staring at the water that stretched to the horizon. Not far from him, a plucky seagull screeched at the Nobody before taking flight. Smirking at the seabird, Axel stood up to his full height. "Where in the world am I?" he whispered. He was about to reach up and rub his head when he froze half way. His cloak, his Organization cloak, was the purest white he'd ever seen. As white as snow, it seemed to glow under the beach's sun. "What the hell? My cloak?" exclaimed Axel as he grabbed a handful of skirt while starring in disbelief at all the whiteness. Wasn't his cloak always been black?

Releasing his garments and starring around, Axel tried to see if this place was familiar. The beaches seemed so different, but somehow deep inside, he sensed he had been here all too often. Glancing up at the blue sky, Axel watched a flock of seagulls, screeching and flying in a certain direction. Following the direction they were going, Axel started walking along the beach. Egad, even his boots were pure white. It wasn't long before he spotted what made the gulls so upset. "What tha? ... DEMYX!" Eyes wide, Axel ran over to the unconscious Demyx, who also dawn the same white outfit as Axel. Kneeling down, Axel stared at Demyx, before shaking his shoulder. "Demyx, wake up... wake up!" The water boy slowly moved, more so of curling up and squinted his eyes harder. "Five more minutes mommy..." 'Unimpressed' by the comment, Axel shook harder. "Demyx wake up, it's me Axel!" "Mmm... I dun wanna... Xemnas is a bully..." Growling, Axel lit a hand on fire and preceded to slap Demyx in the tush, flame on. Instantly, Demyx screamed but stopped when he saw the surrounding area. Turning to see Axel, he blinked. "Axel? Is that really you?" "'Fraid so." "What's with the white cloak?" "What's with yours?" Demyx looked at himself, at the pure white garments. Turning back to Axel he spoke, "Are... we dead? Is this what people call heaven?" Eyes closed in frustration; Axel promptly slapped Demyx on top of the head. "No you idiot! Somehow we're alive again. Who ever... or what ever brought us back... had a good reason. Demyx, see if you can detect the others presence."

Demyx stood up and looked around, using his mind to search out the other Organization members. After turning around completely, he gave the pyro a frown. "No... I can't sense any of them. Either they're too far away, or... they're still all dead. WAH! AXEL I DON'T WANNA DIE AGAIN!" Catching Axel by surprise, Demyx suddenly hugged around the pyro's waist, burying his head in Axel's chest. "Get off!" Axel declared, shoving Demyx off. "Okay, fine, so it's just us. At least it's figure out where we are!" Demyx smiled, "That's easy, north of Twilight Town." "How do you know?" "The water told me..." Staring blankly at Demyx, Axel let out a groan. "Okay, okay. Let's figure this out logically. We're alive again, wearing white cloaks and no sign of the other members. Plus we're near Twilight Town yet the beaches are different." Demyx shrugged and started walking towards the town. Axel gave him a confused look. "Where are you going?" The blond turned slightly, "I'm hungry, bored, and you said you want to find out what's going on with us being back. So come on! I just hope they still have those salty-sweet ice-cream bars!" Axel laughed, "You and your stomach. I'd imagine you must have swallowed your own brain." Rolling his eyes, Demyx continued strolling towards town, Axel following close behind. "Yah know, it would be easier if we teleported." Demyx only smiled, "But then I wouldn't enjoy this pleasant breeze. Live a little Axel." "We are!"

Wasting almost half an hour, the two finally came upon the familar buildings of Twilight Town. Even the clock tower remained the same, or so they thought. Looking closer, both men could see rust and weathering on the old faces, which weren't there last time they both checked. "Strange. The clock tower looks like it's about to stop. It's like it's no longer being taken care of.", Demyx wondered as they started up a flight of stairs from the beaches to the streets. There seemed to be a dead silence about the lower half of the town. Sure there were people about, but they would stop from whatever they were doing, and stood staring at the two white cloaked men. "Great... being watched by a bunch of silent people. What? Is it my hair style?", Mumbled Axel so no one else but Demyx could hear. The musician shook his head. "I don't think it's your hair. Something's wrong... and they know it." "Oh brilliant observation. Why not we just stroll up to someone and ask what's the deal with the staring. Oh sure... that's just how us nobodies work and... I... Demyx!" Axel turned his attention back to his comrade, who slowly approached a young girl. She didn't seemed to be frightened, nor ran away when Demyx approached. "Um, sorry to be a bother, but... what's going on here? Why is everyone so quiet and staring at me and my friend?", he asked in a whispered tone. The girl blinked slowly, then replied. "You're with the Organization Light, aren't you? Usually when a Light is around, it means there's going to be a battle, and we just had one last night up at the clock tower. Thanks for chasing the Dark Organization away!"

Both Axel and Demyx were stunned. How could there be two Organizations? Acting out on impulse, Axel jumped in. "Hey kid... how long as it been since the fall of Organization XIII? The orginal guys!" She stood there, staring at them as if they were clueless. "Five years sir, I thought you nobodies knew these things." "Um, let's just say we're new at this membership thing.", Demyx rushed in before Axel could. "Thanks for the information." As the girl nodded, Demyx grabbed a handful of Axel's white cloak, proceding to pull him away from continuous eyes. Once they rounded a corner, only then did Demyx released his hold. "Five years! Five years! We've been dead for five stinking years! No wonder some things didn't look familar!" The pyro nodded. "Yea, and then... Light Organization? Dark Organization? There can not be two organizations! Uh... can there be?" Demyx only shrugged, "I dunno. Maybe we should find a member of the so called Lights. They might be able to fill us in on what's going on here. Axel? You alright?" Axel seemed to be in a trance, after spoting what looked like a figure crossing the street. A figure in a black cloak. Once Demyx took noticed, he didn't think to realize Axel approaching the hooded being. "Axel, wait! It could be dangerous! Axel! Ooh, it's no use.", he said while shaking his head.

The pyro slowly approached the black figure, who's back was to the red head, as if... expecting him to come. "So... how very bold of a Light to approach without weapons drawn. I'm sure you have questions, and I... may have the answers. Oh yes, I can sence it in you. You want to know about the Dark Organization and well as your known. You've barely scratched the surface, add two more groups to the list; Organization Neutral and The Forgotten Order. But there's just one way to get these questions answered.", the hooded figure said, in a lifeless and dull tone on his voice like the words of death. "And that is?", Axel asked, having the nerve to push it. The black cloaked being merely smirked, and chuckled in his throat. "Tonight... wait for tonight. This place is nice in the day light. At night... it's hell's playground. If there is such a thing as hell." The pryo weilder sneered, "Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. And what do you mean tonight? Who are you?" Another chuckle. "You'll see Light. You'll see." Suddenly a swirling mass of black energy swelled up and around, opening a dark portal. The figure smirked once more and stepped into the portal, disappearing as it too, disappeared.

Axel was lefted there, standing still as a slight breeze brushed acrossed the edge of his cloak. Once Demyx joined up beside him, did he start to come to. "What was that all about?", the water boy asked. Turning his attention to the now worned down cobble sideway, Axel merely shrugged. "I don't know. But I think we'll get our answers to this mess tonight. Hopefully." "What do you mean tonight? What's going to happen tonight?" "I don't know myself." Demyx sighed, having got his hopes up for answers. "So, was that a member of the Dark Organization?" Axel slightly nodded, "I think so. But he said something about a Neutral Organization and some Forgotten Order. Frankly, I think he's pulling our chains." Demyx blinked and tilted his head to one side, "We have chains?" "No stupid! It's a figure of speech! Get a clue!" The blond merely frown then looked away towards some buildings. Imediately, his eyes went wide. "What now?", Axel said, sounding not amused. Turning around, his eyes caught what Demyx was seeing. "There it is! The ice-cream shop! Please Axel, can we get some? I'm still hungry and their sea-salt ice-cream bars are the best! Ever tried one?" "Uh, nope, can't say that I have." Frantically, Demyx searched his pockets. "Mummy, mummy, mummy. I know I have spare change somewhere... and... aha! I have enough! Come on Hot Red, let's go!" But Demyx's 'happy' cheer was stopped abruptly by the harden serious stone face of Axel. There was a pause of silence between the two, and Demyx meekly spoke up. "Please, just this once? I'll pay if that's what you're 'mad' about?" More silence. "Oh, okay... we've got better things to do than eat ice cream." He frown slightly, until Axel spoke up, smiling.

"Ice cream sounds great."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Lilix, Sabixshi, and Xariaha belong to their respectful creators.

Warnings: slight language, violence

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"And then you know what he does? He takes my surf board and uses it for target practice! So when I come home to my bed room, I find my poor board all chewed up with seventy-one bullet holes! Seventy-one!" Axel momentarily removed the light blue ice-cream bar from his lips. "So, what did you do?" Demyx sighed, "Nothing, because I know if I went up to him and told him what an idiot he was I would be the next object to be filled with his bullets." "Yea, ole' Xiggy's got a thing for his guns." "I know... maybe he should of act more his age, then he wouldn't be such a menace." "If you weren't such a coward and actually participated in battles more often, maybe he and the rest of the gang wouldn't treat you like shit.", the pyro explained while waving his treat at the musician, as if being scowled. The two men stood on the side of a low wall of a street that overlooked some of the town. They were leading on the guard rail, enjoying a tasty treat from the ship just next to them. "Ya know," exclaimed Axel, looking at his bar. "These things... aren't that half bad. They're salty... but sweet at the same time. How do they do that?" Demyx 'happily' replied despite having his ice-cream in his mouth. "I know, pur gennus! Tar mah favorite treet!" A small light chuckle escaped Axel's lips as he turned around, watching the setting sun. "It's going to be dark soon."

Demyx turned around, while licking the last contents off his wooden stick. "Yea, I wonder what's going to happen after dark? Normally the heartless are out and about more often at night than any time during the day. They're nothing to beat." The pyro let out a sigh, seemingly ignoring his comrade's words as they drown out of his mindless hearing. Instead his eyes were fixed at the bit ocean view from their point, watching the waters turn a bright gold as the sun touched the edge of the horizon. But then, both boys' attention was redirected as the people outside and shop owners seemed to be in a hurry to leave the area, or close the shops. Mothers with their children hurried passed, one couple in particular the little girl was clutching a stuffed doll. She glanced over at Axel and Demyx, and they saw fear in those little eyes. "Something's up." Demyx mumbled. "No shit!" "Hey, there's children going by." "Does it look like I have the heart to care?" Demyx took this moment to look up and scratch his head. "Uhh... no, not really. Nobodies don't have hearts so you wouldn't be able to care if you did." In a groan, Axel promptly slapped his forehead. "I'm surrounded by idiots." "No you're not. I'm the only one here and... hey! I'm not an idiot!" "What's the square root of 42 then?" "Uhh.." "Exactly my point." Demyx shot him a dirty look, though he was a tad hurt by the comment.

While the two continued to argue, the sun had finally set, casting the last fading light over the city before night fell over. Almost instantly as the light faded, up on a rooftop not far from Axel and Demyx, a black portal opened, and a figure in black stepped through. Unlike the one Axel had met, this one was leaner, shorter, but all the while, still deadly. With the hood over its head, it was hunting a new target. Starting into a full run, the being easily leapt over one rooftop to the next with very little effort. Skidding to a halt, the figure smirked, picking out its newest target; a bar. Fumbling in its pockets, the figure revealed three silver spheres, each placed between a finger in a snug fit. Picking one off like a cherry from the tree, the being held it in the other hand, glancing at its reflection before turning back to the building, smelling the scents of drinking and smoking. With a flick of the wrist, the silver orb was tossed over the street were it rolled in perfectly through the front door. Instantly the next thing that happened was a small building exploding. Glass and burnt wood flew into the air, and a few nearby people scrambled for their lives to escape the flames and burning debris. Smirking again, the figure tossed the other two spheres in random places, and they too, exploded upon contact with random buildings. "This has been the best fun I've had tonight in a while! Hahaha!"

Not far off from the explosions, Axel and Demyx had jumped at the sounds. "Sounds like trouble!", Axel shouted and instantly leaped with amazing agility up on a roof. Poor Demyx wasn't as swift nor strong enough to leap up, so he was forced to teleport behind Axel on the roof top. The two watched, as a street of buildings were a blaze, and people below frantic to put them out. "Should we go help?", Demyx asked. Axel held up his hand, signaling the other to hold on a sec. His eyes were scanning the rooftops, looking for something. "There!", he said pointing to a fleeing suspect. With not a moment to spare, the pyro took off, leaping over rooftop to rooftop. For Demyx, it was a trip and a half, just to keep up with Axel. "Hold it right there mister! We know what you did?", Axel shouted just as the hooded figure glance over the shoulder, noticing it was being followed by what was thought to be two Lights. With a sly smirk, a hand shoved in a pocket, revealing another silver ball. "Catch.", it said tossing it towards the men. Axel had to stop dead in his tracks, watching the sphere start to fall from the sky towards him. When Demyx caught up, he looked up and shouted, "IT'S A BOMB!" But then the water boy was grabbed around the shoulders with Axel's right arm, hugging him close while his left arm held outstretched. Fire shot out from his hand, and engulfed the two, shielding them from the explosion that landed a few feet from them. While Demyx screamed in terror as flaming debris flew by, Axel (to this day) swore he lost his hearing momentarily. Once the dust had settled, he released his grip from Demyx and the fire disappeared. "Wow, Axel you save my life!" "Save it water boy, there's still that guy!", Axel said and leaped over the huge hole in the roof.

With Demyx close behind, Axel chased the bomber till they reached a roof with no other houses to jump to. The figure stopped and turned to face the pyro. "That was a dirty trick you played, now you'll pay.", said the now 'angered' Axel. His hands fell to his sides, rising sideways as two flames appeared, spinning in circles till his beloved chakram weapons came to his fingers. In response, the hooded figure held it arms criss-cross over the chest, silver glow from the hands. A pair of black sais appeared, as it released the hold, and gave charge. Axel accepted the fight and thrashed his right chakram forward. The cling of metal on metal echoed and sparks flew off. The other tried to push their opponent off, until the black cloak figure stomped on Axel's foot with a vengeance. "YEOWWW!" It was a split second, as Axel watched a sai swiftly went to sweep his face, but parried the attack with his left chakram. The two continued, swinging their weapons side to side, attempting to slash the other to pieces. It seemed the two were equally matched, parrying each others attacks. That was, until... the figure paused slightly, holding the sais closely. "Aw, what's the matter? Feeling defeated, that is if you can feel at all?", Axel said sarcastically as he twirled a chakram on one finger on his right hand. A light chuckle came from the figure, which suddenly waved a sai in a U-shaped pattern. With a confused look, Axel didn't know what to think of it, until he watched as suddenly his chakram somehow lost the handle, turning into one open loop, thus falling to his wrist. But the effects didn't stop there. The chakram itself suddenly shrank from its large size, to a bracelet size, but squeezing tightly. "AHH! What is this? What are you doing to my chakram?" Now the figure suppressed a higher pitched laugh. "Stupid Light. You should of known better than play with your sharp toys around me. You don't want your weapons turning against you, now do you? Hehehehe, especially in the presence of a Metal elemental wielder!" Axel's eyes blinked at the information, but screamed as the tiny chakram continued to slowly shrink. "Soon, your hand will be cut off. How lovely, I do so enjoy others suffer."

"Suffer this!" The figure looked up as a blast of cold water slammed it to the floor of the rooftop. Axel's chakram stop shrinking, giving him enough time to call it away in a wisp of black smoke. "Did I ask for you help Demyx? No! I don't think so!" The musician appeared right beside the pyro, a determine look on his face as he stared down the figure getting up. "Just watching your back." "I had everything under control! I was just about to whip his ass to the ground and.." "HIM!" Both boys turned in paled shocked as the figure removed the soaked hood, revealing a girl with silver long hair and silver eyes. "You're a girl?", Demyx stupidly asked. "No shit I'm a girl! You haven't seen the last of me!" In a urgent rush, the girl opened a portal behind her, and leaped right in. "Hurry!" Axel shouted as he ran for the portal. But timing was off by a second and the portal closed, leaving Axel to nearly fall off the rooftop. "WAHAAHHWAHH!" He frantically waved his arms in circles, trying to regain balance. Feeling a hand grab his waist, Axel was saved, only to trip on the boot of his saver, falling on top of Demyx. The two laid there on the rooftop, Demyx a little surprised, while Axel blinked a few times before realizing how exactly they were position. "Oh GAH! DEMYX!" He stood up immediately and dusted off his white cloak. "Hey, don't blame me! I was just helping you." "When I want your help, I'll demand it." Demyx cast his gaze down and sighed. "Okay Axel, whatever you say."

But then, from behind them, another portal open, but this one was of white and grays. Out appeared a hooded, much taller figure in the same pure white cloak as Axel and Demyx. "So... looks like I missed the fight. Oh well. You two seemed lost, I've come to aid a hand." Axel sneered, "Thanks but no thanks, we can take it from here." The white cloak laughed, making it reasonable to know it was male. "Lilix was a tricky opponent, wasn't she? She wasn't such a big threat until she awoken her element. Now she's the menace to all metal weapon wielders." Demyx blinked and spoke out once he too stood up. "Lilix? You mean that silver haired girl?" "Yes. She is the "Metallic Mayhem" of the Dark Organization. She haunts this town a bit too much for our tastes. I was expecting a major battle tonight, just like last night and the night before. This town draws out the Darks like moths to a light. So us Lights have to stop them from destruction. But nowadays, their leader seems to be mellowing out. We suspect something, but haven't figured it out." Axel nodded, while rubbing his sore wrist, red from the strain of his own chakram. "So... can we at least get a name out of you?" "Yes, of course, where are my manners," replied the Light. "I am Hexlar, fifth member of the Organization Lights. And you two... are very luckily to be alive again. We've been told by a well known source the arrival of two saviors to stop this oncoming war." "War? What war?" Demyx asked, staring over at Axel. Hexlar sighed, "A Triple War, threatening to turn into a Quadruple War if the Neutrals become involve. As long as their leader says no, then this war will be over more quickly. If she says yes to war, all four organizations will suffer heavy losses, and fighting over the same goal."

"We understand, but what we don't know is why us and we'd like to be filled in more what what's happened during the five years we've been quote on quote "dead".", Axel said while using his fingers to quote the air. "That, I can't answer alone, but if you follow me, I can lead you to someone who will. That is if you're willing to lower your guard, and heighten your trust... Axel." Now Axel blinked in confusion, "How did you know my name?" Hexlar smiled, and revealed his face. It was a dark tan colored skin, with honey colored short hair, tipped in red, and with a short braided pony tail. His eyes were a shade of amber. "Anyone with that style of hair, that attitude, and owning a pair of chakram must be Axel. Though the cloak color change seems to suit you better. Black isn't a good color in the Light Organization cloak attire." Crossing his arms, Axel nodded, "Alright, we'll follow you. Where to?" The Light member held up his hand, and another white portal opened. "Traverse Town, my friend. Where else?" With a shrug to both, Axel approached the swirling portal, Demyx close behind silently. "Can he be trusted?", the musician asked in a whisper to Axel. The pyro shrugged, "Like we have a choice?" After Axel and Demyx crossed over, did Hexlar followed behind, closing the portal.

High above the town, perched on the clock tower, stood two figures in black. They had watched from afar the explosions and the outcome. "She's late.", spoke one, slightly shorter than the other, with a female voice. The other, clearly male, only hummed a sigh through his hood. Behind them, a black portal open and the girl called Lilix leaped through. Before she had time to say anything, the male figure turned to her. "So, that was how you take care of things against the Lights Lilix? Bomb them to death? I told you better than to use those things unless absolutely necessary!" "I know, my Superior, but it was one from the Old Order!" "What?", the second figure exclaimed. "Who then?" Lilix swallowed dryly, taking a few breaths before speaking. "That traitor to his own, Axel and that stupid musician Demyx to boot! I was just about to stop them but he pulled a stupid stunt on me and.." "Enough! So, the comings of the prophecy are coming together. The Keeper has indeed set the two men back into the world. It's only a matter of time before they become powerful enough to bring us all down. But for now. Lilix report back to the castle, you've had enough 'fun for tonight. Sabixishi, gather the others, a meetings to be held to plan out how to deal with this matter.", explained the leader. The female, now known as Sabixishi nodded, "Yes Xariaha. I shall. Should we invite the Forgotten Order into this mess?" Xariaha shook his head. "No, let them figure it out. I'm sure those two Old Order members will run into them sooner or later." Sabixishi nodded again, disappearing in a portal while Lilix took her own, leaving the leader of the Dark Organization member alone.

"Now I just have to bring Valiax into the mix and the way to solve this resolution will be complete."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Drakxis belongs to his respectful creator.

Warnings: slight language, violence

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Traverse Town continued to give off its welcoming glow of shop lights and displays under the endless night sky. It was here, that many a traveler could get some R and R. But five years ago, this was a haven... for heartless. The pickings were easy, hearts to steal from all forms of life that dared walked the districts alone. So it was easy for one to become a nervous wreck while in this town. But ever since the keyhole of this world was sealed, by the Keyblade Master of Light, the heartless numbers slowly started to drop. Now it was rare to find the little vicious creatures, unless you know where to look. It was a world for people who lost theirs to the shadows of Darkness to seek shelter in hopes of one day returning to a restored home. Now days, a few people still roamed the streets, looking for a great deal, or staying at the local hotel to rest on their journeys. Now a day... Lesser nobodies run free in this joint.

Just at the doors leading to the First District from the third, a white portal opened as three men walked through. Axel's eyes had to quickly adjust from the calm lighting of Twilight Town, to the almost casino-like brightness of Traverse Town. He rarely visited the night time town, therefore he and Demyx were strangers in a strange place. "A little too bright if you ask me." He mumbled in the distaste of everything. Their guide, the Light member Hexlar waited till the two had stepped ahead, while gazing over the area. "This is where I shall leave you two. I have important tasks to conduct and I can't keep the rest of my party waiting. Good luck in your quest." Demyx quickly turned around. "But, who is it we're suppose to go to for information?" Hexlar held the pause for a moment before stating out, "You'll know him when you see him. He goes by the title of "The Turbulent Rider". Seek him out and you may open more questions than answers. Until then, farewell." The Light member slightly bowed with arms outstretched, as he backed up into the still open portal, leaving Axel and Demyx to fend for themselves. "So, what do we do now Axey?" "First off, don't call me Axey ever again, and second, I guess we go find this dude who calls himself "The Turbulent Rider"..."

Wandering around, the town seemed far quieter than a normal town would. The strange sights, hushed sounds, and smells continued to confuse them, their sense of direction seemingly lost. "Axel?" "Don't ask..." A pause. "Axel?" "I said don't ask!" "We're lost aren't we?" In response, Axel took both hands and grasped a handful of his red hair, pulling down. "AHH! Demyx! I told you not to ask!" Demyx couldn't help but suppress a small giggle behind the pyro's back. "Why don't we ask around?" "No. More. Asking!", Axel growled through his teeth. "Okay, okay! Sheesh, who turn you into a grouch? Why must you be so aggressive? I bet you wouldn't be if you had Rox.." Suddenly Axel spun around, and slammed Demyx against a wall. His arms were tightly pinned and were almost touching noses with the pyromaniac, feeling the heat of his hot breath against the water boy's throat. "You.. ever... EVER... say that name in my presence, I will... without a damn DOUBT I will kill you! I'll kill you so fast you realize you're dead till blood covers the ground and you start to fade away FOR GOOD!" With that, Axel's death grips released their hold on Demyx and turned his back away from him. Poor Demyx was now badly shaking, holding his left wrist that hurt the most. His lips were quivering and his eyes wide with 'confusion' and possibly 'fear'. "Axel...", he barely whispered. "WHAT?" The was a silent pause between the two, forcing Axel to glance back over, and viewed the shivering Demyx, trying to hold back tears. "I'm... sorry."

Shocked at Demyx's reply, Axel quickly wiped off the 'anger' off his face, and gently placed his hand on Demyx's shoulder. "Hey man... I didn't mean it. Don't give me that whimpering. Come on, look... Demyx... stop it okay? Geez... look, just... for my sake don't mention names that bring bad memories back to me okay? Look at me! Stop crying, what are ya, six years old? Come on... we're wasting time." With a slight nod, Demyx silently followed. The two now began up a flight of stairs, until Demyx froze in his spot, staring back at the open area. "What is it now?", Axel said, turning around to see what Demyx was staring at. "Look there's nothing there. Can you stop being paranoid and keep up?" The musician spoke not a word, but continued to stare out at the blank open ground. "Look Demyx, there is NOTHING out there! See? I'll run out in the middle to prove it, you're such a coward!" Axel then leaped over the side of the stairs wall, and dashed to the center of the Third District. "See? Nothing bad! Stop being such a scaredy cat and...EEAHH!" Axel's back arched up as a pair of black claws raked down his spine. Spinning around, Axel found himself suddenly surrounded by heartless. "Oh dear... I am piteously outnumbered. Whatever shall I do?", he sarcastically commented as his chakrams appeared in both hands.

A few shadows cautiously approached, before leaping with claws outstretched. But they were met with the sharpened silver tips of Axel's chakram slamming fast into their bodies. Axel moved about, with a sense of grace as he literally danced about, cutting heartless left and right. Demyx, on the other hand, stood firmly on the steps, watching Axel perform against the heartless that continued to attack from all sides. As much as he wanted to join in the fight, he knew he would get another yelling from Axel afterwards. "You should go help him.", spoke a voice from behind. Demyx didn't turn around, only staring at Axel's graceful body turn in ways Demyx didn't think he could. "He'll just yell at me again." "But there's too many heartless for one man to take down, even if he is powerful enough." "Not my fight..." "Or is it? All heroes start out cowards, until they find the courage to stand and fight." "Not this one, I'm just a lousy sitar player and a sissy at fighting." "You'll change you're mind one day... when he needs you." "Axel doesn't need me. He's better than me in everything." "Are you sure?" "Damn sure. Look mister, I don't want to discuss anymor...?" Demyx now turned around, seeing no one behind him. "I could have sworn someone was..." "DEMYX WHAT ARE YOU DOING STANDING THERE? HELP ME! I'M NOT DOING THIS FOR MY PERSONAL HEALTH YOU KNOW!"

Demyx snapped to attention, surprised at first that Axel actually asked for help, well demanded help. Leaping over the side of the stair wall, Demyx held a hand out, and water gushed out, slamming a nearby heartless into another. Using the same hand, he held it in the air, and a blob of water solidified and became his sitar. "How's about a little music for our special audience!", he said as his fingers glided across the strings, the notes commanding water to appear from nowhere, and stab through several heartless like stakes from the ground. With his back to Axel, Demyx continued to play, knowing stopping for a mere second would cause the water to falter and seep back into the ground. "They just keep coming!", he shouted after killing off three more heartless, five more appeared. "Just keep it up! They'll die out eventually!" Axel's chakrams spun in the air, cutting through half of the five that appeared, while Demyx commanded a pillar of high pressured water with his music to the rest. Now three neoshadows appeared, leaping in the air and threatening to slash the two men up to pieces. For Demyx, his reflexes seemed to of slowed down, watching as the heartless were about to rain him... until a brilliant wave of fire flickered above him, burning the neoshadows to nothing.

Demyx's eyes fluttered over to Axel, who was just lowering his hand as the flames surround it died away. The two stared at each other for a fleeting moment, speaking not a word. Though the words were on Demyx's lips, he couldn't bring up enough courage to thank Axel. So, instead, the boy found himself chewing his lower lip while Axel silently turned away, motioning Demyx to follow. Nodding, he did and the two resumed their search. Still, Demyx hated the dead silence between them, even when Axel had moments ago slammed Demyx to a wall, threatening his well being. So, the musician quietly whispered to his comrade. "Look... I'm sorry about before. I didn't know you weren't over it yet. I knew you two were close, I didn't think that close." A slight growl escaped Axel's throat and Demyx silenced up... for the moment. "Axel?" In return, the pyro growled again. "Do you hate me?" "Nobodies can't feel anything remember!" "I know... but still, if you did... are you?" Axel turned his line of vision towards a alleyway leading to what sounded like a small channel. "Have you always hated me?" A sigh escaped from Axel's nostrils. "No, I don't hate you. You just get annoying sometimes." "Ohh. I guess I need to work on that, right?" "Maybe..."

The two entered the back alleyway, under what appeared to be a series of hotel room balconies in different themes and colors. They stopped in front of a sign, and ignore the writing, just a nice spot to lean on. "Well... I don't see any heartless here, must of chased them off.", Axel said while placing his left arm on the sign, leaning on it. Demyx stepped pass the lounging Axel, staring at the water that flowed through the channel. Slowly, he leaned down and placed his hand in the cool liquid. Suddenly he gasped and removed his hand quickly. "He's been here." Axel looked over his shoulder with a lazy gaze. "Who's been where?" Demyx looked back at him, wanting to say it, but figured (for once) that Axel would plummet him again. "Never mind..." "No, tell me." "You'll kill me..." "Tell me... now!" Demyx gulped and slowly spoke out the name. "The Keyblade Master... six years ago." Axel raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess, the water told you?" "Yea, it's like a fingerprint. It can record something that happened in it and identity what shores it's touched. I know... it's not impressive... " "Actually, it is. So basically, as long as someone steps in the water, it'll record that time. Hey! we could find him again." Demyx blinked. "But why would you want to see him again when five years have gone by? He probably thinks you're still dead. It'll be a major shock to him." Axel sighed, calm for once. "I know... but... being around him, makes me feel better." Before Demyx could say anything else, a strange and sudden wind blew past them, seemingly into what was a cave entrance. "Hey, didn't notice that before.", muttered Axel as he got up and slowly strolled towards the opening. "Axel, don't... I think it's not safe." "Ah Demyx, quit being a whiner. We can handle anything! Besides, the closer you walk towards the opening the stronger the wind is." Slowly, Demyx followed suit. Once they reached the wall and entrance, Demyx placed his boots in the water. "We're going to have to trudge through." Without hesitating, Demyx disappeared into the opening darkness. Axel followed, not liking the idea of getting wet. The cave was dark, and the water was cold. Now it was up to their waists, spying the end of the tunnel and spotting a glowing light. They now reached a cavern, glowing a slight green from lit torches all around. Once they place their feet on dry ground, no sooner had a gust of wind blew around them. "Hey, what gives?", grumbled Axel, using heat to dry off his clothing. In the center of the ground, the wind became visible, swirling in a mass like a tornado. That was when a black portal opened and out appeared a man in black. "Another Dark Organization member? Give us a break!" The figure smiled as the portal disappeared and wind died down. "No Axel, I am of the Forgotten Order. I've been expecting you two, and here to fill you in on this dire situation." Demyx blinked and scratched the back of his neck. "Oh, okay! We thought you were one of the bad guys." "Maybe I am... maybe I'm not.", the figure replied. Axel crossed his arms and gave the being a glare. "So you are you then?"

"I am Drakxis, The Turbulent Rider."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Drakxis, Xariaha, Sabixishi, and Lilix belong to their respectful creators.

Warnings: none for this chapter

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Dark Organization Leader Xariaha scanned a crossed the room, all twelve other members staring straight back at him. There was an eerie silence in the room, as each member did not indulge in other activities to escape boredom. No, this was a serious meeting. "It seems we have a little problem on our hands ladies and gentlemen.", he finally spoke, breaking the silence. His voice was calm, under the fact this was a serious issue not to be taken lightly. "It seems we have a duet of heroes trying to rain on our little war. They mean to put an end to everything, including our task to use Kingdom Hearts in our favor to locate our hearts." Everyone shifted slightly in there chairs, including little Lilix, favoring her left shoulder from a nasty little rude comment she gave to another member. "So... do we have any names?", one member dared ask. Xari's eyes fluttered over to the spoken member, as if casting a glance to kill the other on the spot. "You will not believe the names I will tell you." Lilix smirked, knowing full well who they were, but kept her mouth shut to prevent another yelling. "I think we can believe just about anything at this point in our war.", muttered a member in the position of nine. Xari raised an eyebrow slightly, but barely visible to the untrained eye. "Very well number Nine. I shall reveal their titles. "The Flurry of Dancing Flames" and "The Melodious Nocturne"."

Everyone nearly gasped, staring at their leader in disbelief. "His Superior is right, fought with them last night. I would of won against ole' pyro boy if his stupid aqua side kick wasn't in the way. Turn his pretty weapon into a death bracelet though, hehe!", Lilix added, sounding slightly 'proud'. Each member looked at each other, not believing that the possibility of Axel and Demyx returning from the grave was possible. And since the information came from the words of his Superior, this was no joke or laughing matter. "I see you all are caught off guard by this. Do not let those two blind you all of the main task ahead. This war will end against us unless we drag the Neutrals in. It won't be easy and their leader isn't as easy-going as she seems. Many attempts we've tried breaking in and angering her, but always she refuses to go to war. This time will be different. We have two special guests who've agreed to aid us in our cause. They will distract Axel and Demyx long enough for us to get the Neutrals to declare war... then their leader... Valiax is ours. She... is not like other Nobodies. She is different."

The members now slightly glanced over at one another. True, they knew about the Neutral Organization's leader, and the fact Xari wanted her, but for what they did not know. But soon they will, just not now. "So, my Lord Xari... who are these two guests who speak of?", whispered Sabixishi for the first time since the meeting began. Suddenly, something flew by, spinning almost out of control-like. The object then crashed onto the table in which the group was seated around. Everyone, except Xari flinched back, as their eyes laid on the black and silver weapon; a chakram. Turning slightly, they all gazed over to the entrance door as it slowly creaked closed behind two devilish looking characters in black cloaks. "How's that for an introduction? Heh, no need to ask our names... I'm sure you have it memorized."

"So, let me get this straight, after the fall of Organization XIII, a new one tried to rise to power, but failed over a weak leader and split, thus causing four new groups, Dark, Light, Neutral, and whoever was left from the failed XIII became the Forgotten Order?" Drakxis nodded, "Correct Axel. I was once a member of the failed second Organization XIII. We all fight for the same cause yet we all view it a certain way. Darks see violence to regain their hearts, Lights see peace to gain theirs, and we of the Forgotten don't care as long as we gain them back, but the Neutrals..." Demyx looked up from sitting on a near-by rock. "What's wrong with the Neutrals?" Drakxis frowned, and then paused for a while before speaking again. "They are doing nothing. Because of the constant threats from the Darks, the Neutrals have been slagging in their efforts of their heart location. The Lights believe they are simply waiting for the war between us three to be over and be able to take hearts without a problem. But I guess it's normal nowadays for the Lights to speak so foul to them. The Neutral's leader is a traitor after all."

Demyx glanced over at Axel, who did the same thing. "Traitor? What do you mean traitor?", asked Axel, knowing he too, was such a being to his own organization. Drakxis turned to Axel. "Valiax, leader of the Neutrals was once a member of the Lights." Both men gasped as Drakxis continued. "It was three years ago. The Lights were barely scraping by, with only five members while the Darks were nearly complete. Valiax was the only one who at that time fought most the battles and did most the work. But eventually, she finally lost it and decided best that she moved on. So unofficially, she lefted the Lights, went rogue for a while then started her own group; the Neutrals. By the time she was self-appointed leader, the Lights received a new one. When he called upon his members to learn more about them, Valiax never showed up and knowledge of her budding organization had spread. The Lights were 'furious' at her betrayal, and labeled her a traitor... but strangely... they often try to call upon her organization for help, though they never receive it. I think Valiax is staying out of the war for a personal reason." "And that is?", question Demyx. "Rumor has it Xariaha, leader of the Dark Organization wants to lure her and the Neutrals in the war, but capture her, reasons none of us know and I don't believe it's because she's a wielder of a keyblade."

The very word made Axel choke on himself, his eyes went wide and mouth suddenly dry. A keyblade master? Not just any keyblade master, but one in an ORGANIZATION. The thought suddenly brought back haunted memories, memories Axel had just finally had to let go, seeing there was no point to hold them as pictures of 'sorrow' and 'envy'. He could see in his mind's eye the blond boy he used to sit by during long nights on a wall at the castle floating in the sky. The two of them sparring together, often kidding around. Then, he lefted the organization leaving Axel lost. He remembered trying to bring the boy back, who had lost all memory of him. Nothing was the same. Nothing... even when the blond's Somebody came into the picture, as if filling a gap Axel had been missing. Now... both were gone. One into the other and the other... who knows where he is... "Keyblade Master? Sweet!", Demyx said, breaking Axel's train of thought. Drakxis only chuckled back. "She's not a Keyblade Master, just a keyblade wielder. She isn't that strong to be considered master and has no interest in such a title. In fact out of all the four Organizations, she is the only one with a keyblade. Kinda odd, yet it seems fair. She hasn't gotten involved in war yet... but we fear she may have to." Demyx rested his chin on the palm of his hand, propped on his knee. "Why? She like a ultimate fighter or something?" "Worse... there is a prophecy... and you two are part of it."

Axel suddenly stood up from leaning on the wall of the cavern. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let's back-up here, what prophecy? What do you mean about us being apart of it!" Drakxis slowly looked away then turned his body, casting his back to the other two. "There is a prophecy that will either solve everything of location of hearts... or stop the war completely. Either way, there is a consequence. To stop the war, two from the Old Order must be summoned back to put an end to it, while protecting the "Beacon of Fire". If that is chosen, the Old Order members... must then give up something in return to keep the peace. If the solution of easy access to the location of all the hearts of the Organization members... then the "Beaken of Fire"... must die." With a slight "worried" expression, Demyx spoke up, "Who's this "Beacon of Fire"?" Shaking his head, Drakxis replied, "No one knows... but Xariaha believes Valiax is the one. She is not like us... she is not a normal Nobody." Sighing slightly, Axel glanced at Demyx before to Drakxis, "Well.. maybe we should go find this Valiax and find out what's so special about her? I mean, shouldn't be that hard, and just gotta find out where the Neutrals call home base, right?" "Perhaps, but because of the war and constant fights of members, the use of teleporting is dangerous. It could lead you to places than what you wanted to. The Dark Organization has already begun tampering with Kingdom Hearts to use it as a sort of energy catcher, to use the power of the "Beacon of Fire" to locate the lost hearts. But if that happens... the order it normally follows will be corrupt with the power of the "Beacon of Fire" thus sending everything into a chaos and turmoil far worse than simply falling into darkness. Not that I don't mind chaos and turmoil, though I prefer living as well."

Axel crossed his arms about his chest. "So... what do we have to do?" Drakxis smirked, and turned back around. "You two must start a journey, the road starts here. Like all journeys, you will meet friends and foes. You will journey to worlds you know and worlds you've never been to. There will be hardships and successes. You two must work together, separate, and seal your fate forever. Because of the war about to turn ugly, it would be wise if you limited your ability to teleport, or you might accidentally teleport into an enemy trap. Now, I must release you two. But do not go out the way you came, there is someone who will help you before you leave this world, and increase your magic abilities. Trust me, they will come in handy than simply throwing fire around." Behind him, swirled out a black portal. "Farewell new heroes and may your journey leads to the right paths." He turned to Demyx once more and whispered like the wind. "All heroes start out as cowards..." Then he was gone in a wisp of wind into the portal. "Hey! He was that guy...", Demyx started. "Huh?" "Oh never mind."

Getting up and looking around, Axel merely shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see a way out other than the way we came in." Demyx hopped off his rock, looking closer to the rocky floor. Following a path of seemingly turned stones, they led him towards a wall. "Here." he said as he turned slightly on the wall, finding a secret set of stairs. Axel blinked and followed. The two made their way up the stairs until they came to a floating platform. "So, what now genius?", Axel said sarcastically. Giving his comrade a dirty look, Demyx simply hopped on the platform. "You coming or staying? Better decide quickly, this thing is moving." Axel glanced back at the darken path to the cave, thinking about all Drakxis had explained. He gazed back at Demyx, who held his hand down to grab Axel. Without hesitating, he 'gladly' took Demyx's hand, pulling himself up as the platform rose higher. Axel smirked once he got his footing.

"Next stop, up…"


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Warnings: Slight Language

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Demyx and Axel gazed around the room they had entered from the floating platform that had risen in the caves below. It was a dump of a house, papers everywhere, piles of books covered in dust. Clutter, clutter everywhere and barely any room to move. It seemed no one was living here at all, but there, on a small circular stage on a table, was a tea set, the pot steaming hot. "What a dump... and I thought Zexion's room was a mess with all those books..." whispered Demyx as he and Axel stepped off the panel, having connected with the rest of the stone floor. "I don't know… seems more or less a junk room to me.", replied Axel. Nodding silently, Demyx slowly approached a bunch of papers, fingering through them and peering at the contents. They seem to be some sort of random reports, but the hand writing was a tad hurried and poor Demyx wasn't the type of person, or Nobody in this case, to be able to read rushed writing. Axel on the other hand, could. "Hey Axel, can you read this?", he said while holding up a handful of papers. Axel shrugged and followed up behind Demyx. "What? Can't you read at all?" "I can read, but this writing's sloppy and rushed. I always take my time when reading." Axel snickered as he gently grabbed the papers. "Detail freak."

Axel's eyes scanned over each page, flipping them under the other until he had come full circle. "Hmm…", he mumbled through his throat. "Interesting, they're lists of different magic attacks." He laid the papers down on a stack of books then turned back to Demyx. "What kind of magic attacks?" "Oh, the usual: Firaga, Blizzaga, Thundaga, Stopaga, and so on." "Oh, aren't those the attacks that…" "Yup." Demyx took the time to sit on the nearby bed, seeing how the chairs were occupied by more books. "Do you think we might learn those attacks?", Demyx questioned. "Oh anyone can learn, you just have to practice." Both boy's scanned the room for any sign from the sudden voice. In a spark of yellow light, appeared a strange old man in blue robes, blue cone cap, and a long white beard while wearing glasses. "And... you would be?" mumbled Axel, unimpressed by the enterance. "Oh, yes, yes. Dear me. I'm Merlin and you're here to upgrade your magic ablilities for the journey ahead, otherwise you wouldn't be here if you weren't, would you?" Demyx blinked then rubbed his head. "Okay... that was confusing so I'm gonna go with yes." Axel, meanwhile merely rolled his eyes. "Good, good. Just step over here and off we go upstairs!" Both boys slowly stood up and quietly approached the wizard, only to stumble slightly as the floor began to rise. "Not another floating panel..." growled Axel.

The top floor was nothing more than a empty arena, with bright colors on the floor and a wide dome-shaped ceiling. Perfect for practicing magic attacks. Demyx and Axel glanced at one another. They knew their speical powers, but could they weild the opposite as well as other types? Was it possible? "So... what do we need to learn here?" Demyx as usual first to ask. Merlin smiled while stroking his beard. "Oh, improving your elements basically, and teaching you to use Curaga. It will come in handy when you face off against the Dark Organization. They're far stonger in their elements than Organization XIII. No offense." "None taken... we've gotten use to this new tratior jig, right Demyx?" Axel said while smirking at Demyx, who smiled back as cheesy as he could get. "Right, off you two go. Practice till you are sure that you're able to continue your journey." Axel was the first to step up to the center, summoning his chakrams with a 'confident' smirk. Demyx was a tad hesitant, but managed to step alongside Axel. With a slight frown, mostly from disappointment, summoned up his Sitar. What most didn't know about Demyx was that although he loved his Sitar, playing sweet music or simply rocking out, he didn't expect it to serve as a weapon. Though the strings plucked into a crazed song could conjure up water into attacking, in appearance... it made him look like a fool. All the other Organization members were given wonderful looking and powerful weapons, from swords to rifles. Even Marluxia's scythe was more apleasing than his Sitar. He appeared to stick out from the crowd, what good would an instument do in battle? Play his oponents to death? Pluck those strings so fast his enemy's ears would bleed and brains explode? Axel seemed to take noticed of Demyx's look as the Sitar appeared. "Something bugging you?", he whispered, trying to sound 'concern' slightly after scaring poor Demyx out of his wits back in the town. Without hesitating, Demyx quickly replied in a stern voice, severing any further comments Axel may want to add. "No. I'm fine."

Backing off the subject, Axel mentally thought of the sudden snap from Demyx. It was... so unike him. Usually the water boy was cheerful, always seeing ways to be content with himself and others. But now, it seemed something was eatting him. Both their thoughts were interupted once an assortment of diningware had appeared, floating in the air and circling about. Twirling tables, dancing tea-cups, rocking cubboards, what sort of practice was this? "Ready? Let's go!" Axel shouted, whipping his chakrams about like frisbees of doom, breaking a few tables into bits and pieces. Demyx waited slightly, watching Axel recklessly having a ball ripping through the targets with the same stern, serious face. When a tea set edged near however, it was shattered by the end of the sitar, as Demyx had swung it from behind in full force, harder than he normally fought. It took Axel a small moment to pause from his fight, watching Demyx not just practice, but pulverizing the crap out of the targets. Each whack was brought down with brute force, and Axel knew... it wasn't practice force... but something personal. "Demyx?" He said, trying to snap the boy's mind back. No response. "Demyx?" Nothing. "DEMYX YOU ASS!" Instead of simply stopping, Demyx whirled around and stared down Axel with narrowed eyes. "What the HELL do you want?" Eyes widen, Axel stood back in surprised shock. Demyx wasn't just being moody, he was on the verge of striking his comrade. "Look... we're... just practicing. No need to go postal. Save that for the real fights. Come on Demyx, what's eatting ya?" With a snort, Demyx turned his head away. "Nothing. Go back to your thing... you're the guy who enjoys slaughtering... well... destroy something. Don't let me ruin _your_ fun, great and powerful Axel. I'm just... venting." "Well that's some mighty venting you've got going on. Care to explain?" "No." Raising an eyebrow, Axel was wise enough to drop it, figuring Demyx was still not over being shoved against a wall by an angry fire wielder over a name he wish not to hear aloud anymore. Oh well, back to practicing...

Both men didn't realize just how long they had been practicing, for it was now two hours into the session, it seemed time itself was lost to them. But every now and then, Axel would pause slightly to watch Demyx, stuck in a face of determination, attack every target as if he could not fight much longer. It was if he was fighting personal issues, once hidden from sight, now released to be destroyed. It would be considered a bit on the suicide to go up and tap him on the shoulder. So Axel waited, until he was sure Demyx really need a break. "Okay.. I think we've had enough practice.", he said as Demyx plowed through a chair with a blast of water. " I SAID WE ARE DONE!" In an instant, all the targets disappeared in whisps of smoke, leaving Demyx dazed and surprised. "Wait, wasn't there..", he started to ask, but silenced up. Calling back his chakram, Axel's weapons also disappeared in black smoke. Demyx soon followed suit, but silently, looking almost grateful the sitar was gone from his hands. "My, my, haven't seen a Nobody fought like that since a week ago. Nasty turn of events, two members of the Forgotten, minding their own business gathering supplies, when they got ambushed by some of the Lights. Very brutal... both made it out, but not with heavy damage.", Merlin mumbled while sitting in a easy chair smoking a pipe as the two men walked up to him. "Ah huh, I'm sure we feel sorry for them, even if we can't feel at all." Axel said, shrugging his shoulders. "But hey, that workout helped. I sence that my fire power's better than before." "Yeah, same here, except water, since I"m a water weilder, heh heh." Demyx added. Axel smirked slightly, that was the Demyx he was use to hearing. "Good, I see you are both confident enough to continue. Just step back on the platform and it'll take you back down. Then, simply go out the front door and you'll be on your way back to the town. Good luck to both of you. The fate of the universe is on your shoulders." Demyx frowned, "That's sure some heavy weight on our shoulders..." "Demyx... that was a figure of speech, again." "Oh... sorry!"

Exiting the small shack, Demyx and Axel haulted at the bottom of the path. "Water, water everywhere... and me without my floatation device. Oh what is a poor fire weilder like me to do?" Axel groaned, while being sarcastic. Though, there really wasn't anything funny about being surrounded by a moat and the round platforms ahead did not sit still. "I solve this problem!" Demyx announced in a cheery voice. Glancing over his shoulder, Axel raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And how, exactly do you plan to solve this?" Demyx continued his cheery smile, when moments ago he was having a 'rage' attack, strolled to the water's edge and looked down into the black water. Holding his hands out, he summoned his sitar and started playing a tune. It wasn't a typical punk rock the musician normally played, but rather a sweet, uplifting song. So uplifting, even the water started to rise, literally. A long tube of water started from Demyx's feet and slowly snaked in a gentle arch towards the other side of the cavern. Amazed, Axel stepped by besided Demyx. "Go ahead Axel.. the water's solid enough for you to cross. As long as I keep playing this song, it'll hold." "What is that you're playing anyways? Sounds familar..." "Stairway to Heaven." Axel suddenly frowned with a "duh, so obivious" face. "Why am I not surprised?"

Slowly, Axel placed one foot on the water path, and steadily applied weight. Nothing happened, his boot did not sink in. So he took another step, and it too did not sink. In fact, he was standing on the water bridge completely. Blinking, he suddenly made a run for it just for the sake of either Demyx suddenly stopping or he would sink under and become a wet mess. Demyx watched him bolt and shouted as he reached the other side. "Coward!" "Look who's talking? How are you going to get across now eh? That song doesn't last forever!" Demyx stood up and turned away slight, curling up his right side of his upper lip in a sneer and mouthed the words Axel had said, not verbally but like just pretending to be speaking, tilting his head side to side slightly as he mocked Axel's comment. Now finished, he turned around facing Axel and grinned, calling back his sitar into black smoke. Instantly the water bridge splashed back into the rest of the pond. With another grin, Demyx cracked his knuckles and leaped on the first floating rock. It started to sway, but he was as agile as a cat as he leaped from float to float, no matter which direction they started to move to. Axel watched, arms folded over his chest and tapped his left boot impatiently. "Oh neh Axel! I had to wait on you to cross over. Sheesh! Stop being a grouch!" "And you stop taking your sweet time, trying to impress me. Time is already against us!" When Axel's back was turned, Demyx muttered under his breath while looking away. "Wouldn't be is Luxord was in this party." Immediately, Axel spung around and stared down Demyx, who gave him the serious look from before back at him. Saying nothing, the pyro only snorted and approached the door, entering back into Traverse Town.

Once outside, everything seemed quiet. A bit... too quiet for their tastes. "Hey Axel... I bet there's a bunch of.." "Shhh! Don't jinx it!" Axel's eyes wandered back and forth around the area. It seemed quiet, no activity from anything except from the water feature towards the first district's door. "I say we make a bolt for the door. Better to dash and not be seen than sit here and be sitting ducks." " I like ducks..." "Demyx! Get a friggn' clue about figure of speeches!" Rolling his eyes, Demyx ignored Axel's plan and slowly walked to the middle of the area. "Seems okay to me." Not a moment to soon, a huge amount of shadow heartless appeared, but they were not alone. On top of a few buildings, several dusk nobodies also appeared, waiting for their chance to strike. "You were SAYING?" Axel roared back as he punched a shadow out of the way. "Look I'm sorry!" Demyx shouted as he too, ran for his life. There were too many enemies to fight and fleeing was the only option. "So what now fearless leader?" Demyx shouted, barely dodging a leaping dusk nobody. Axel smirked and grab ahold to Demyx's wrist. "We're busting out of here!" "But Axel! It's dangerous to portal now!" "Danger's my middle name!" "I thought your middle name was Sebastion?" Axel skipped to a haut and grabbed both Demyx's shoulder with a freaked out wide stare. "WHO TOLD YOU THAT?" Demyx, now turned wide eye in disbelief. "You mean you DO have a middle name? What's your last name then?" "I don't KNOW! If you tell a soul of that name... I'll... I'll... I'll SHAVE YOUR ROCKER MULLET OFF!" Demyx suddenly screamed out in fear, a scream every heartless stopped in utter confusion at how a male nobody was able to surpress a scream with the pitch and velocity of a little girl. Even Axel had to take a moment to figure this out.

But now as more heartless started to stalk hastily towards the two, Axel wasted no time back to running, dragging Demyx in tow. They soon realize they were trapped when they were heading straight for a brick wall. "Axel! No! It's not worth it! Don't do it!" Demyx pleaded, already watching Axel's other arm strike outward in front of him. "Too late water boy! It's flee or die!" Instantly a black and purple portal appeared and the two instantly leaped through. It closed in the nick of time, as a wave of heartless slammed into the brick wall, causing it to crack. Seeing their prey was gone... the rest disappeared back into the shadows of the world, while the dusks returned to their world. All was quiet once more... except... for one thing. In a mixture of colors, Axel and Demyx were flung about like popcorn in a popcorn machine. The strange tunnel continued to bash them about, threatening to pull their hold on another apart. "Axel don't let go! Don't let go!" "Demyx, hold on! We'll make it!" "I'm losing my grip! Axel! Save me!" "You can make it! DEMYX!" A surge of energy bashed through the two and Demyx's grip on Axel's hand slipped through like grease, sending the two in opposite directions. "AXEL!" Demyx screamed as he watched Axel grow smaller and smaller... darker and darker... until... CRASH! It took the musician a while to wake up, feeling himself rather... stuck. Leaves fell lightly on him, as he lay there on his back. Opening his eyes, he tried to look around, only to find himself tangled about his whole body in thick vines. In fact, the world he saw... was upside-down. So he hung there for a minute before the vines around his foot gave out, sending him crashing to the ground. "OWW! My head!" Demyx sat up and rubbed his head, while he looked around in a lush jungle. Birds sang in the distance and he could see monkies chattering in the tree branches. Standing up slowly back on his legs, his eyes went wide and started to panic.

"Oh man! Where am I? And Where's Axel? It's a jungle out there! How am I sappose to find him now?"


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Orixon belongs to me.

Warnings: Slight Language

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_"Lexa! Lexa! Hey! Flame-boy!"_

A boy stood ontop of a marble balcony, overlooking the world in which he lived in. His green eyes were watching the red sun set over the mountains, seemingly lost in thought even when his name was being called out. Two older kids soon appeared behind the boy, one of them approaching him. "Lexa we've been looking all over for you! Where'd you go? I thought you wanted to play hide and seek with us." The slightly older boy asked, pushing back his wild orange hair. Without turning around, the younger boy whispered slightly. "Change of mind." "How come?" a girl now, with golden blond hair and deep blue eyes asked as she stepped forward. The young boy did not move or flinched, only leaning on the balcony's railing, both arms up, as if holding on to it. The girl smiled as she stood next to him. "Please Lexa, tell us what's wrong? We're your friends and we'd hate to see you look so down. Come on, what's the matter?" Lexa glanced over to her, with a pitiful look upon his face. "Daddy's not coming back..." Both friends gasped slightly. "How do you know?" Asked the older boy. Lexa shifted slightly, taking a hand and reached into his burgandy tunic pocket and pulled out a note, the wax seal broken and edges crumpled. "Letter from the king. I was sappose to give it to my mom, but I couldn't help but read it. This war got nasty... and... Daddy's gone." Both friends frowned. "Lexa, I'm sorry..." "Sorry's got nothing to do with it Katani, I pleaded with him not to go. I wish I was older, I could of helped him fight the war, and save him." The older boy snorted. "Yea, and get yourself killed as well! He probably did it for you! Heck, why waste on wishing to grow up? Growing up's boring.. I rather be a kid forever!" "Oh shush Darze, we all know we can't stay small forever." Katani muttered back. "Besides... there's still time to be a kid, right Lexa? You're only twelve, don't rush things. How about we all go for some of those tasty cinnamon-coated spicey peppers? Best hot stuff ever!" Darze's eyes widen and smirked. "Yea! Best stuff in the realm! You can't get any sweet and spicy like that anywhere else! Come on Lexa, maybe it'll cheer you up! Hey, didn't your dad lefted you your very own weapons before he lefted?" Lexa shrugged, "Yeah, but I can't have them till I'm way older. They're a pair of ... uh... chak... chakra..." "Chakrams? You're dad gave you Chakrams? Oh how lucky are you? Only Fire Dancer Warriors weild those!" Katani nearly squealed with delight, making a smile finally appear on young Lexa's lips. "Yeah, that's my dream to be able to wield fire and be a Fire Dancer Warrior when I grow up!" Darze laughed and rubbed a hand on top of Lexa's flaming red hair. "If you do! Last one to the treat's shop is dumb scholar!" Darze took off down the stairs, Katani about to run after him when she paused and gazed back at little Lexa. "Well? Coming along? Don't be sad all the time, you know you always have your friends!" Lexa smiled again and nodded before running off along side her. "I know! I have it perfectly memorized!"

Everything was dark. It felt like falling through the sky and then landing into a wooden house. When actually... he did. Axel's eyes slowly fluttered open, his pupils shrinking as they were welcomed by bright light. Blinking a few times to adjust, he slowly picked himself up into a sitting position, and immediately placed a hand to his forehead. "Man, talk about a crash landing. Good thing that roof broke my fall. Speaking of which, where are we?" Axel paused, waiting for a reply from a certain blond boy. "Demyx?" Slowly, he stood up, dusting off his white cloak and turned completely around in a circle. "Demyx? Where are you? Come on, stop joking around, this isn't funny! Look, joke's over! Now come out where I can see you!" No reply, no Demyx coming out from behind some of the dusty cargo boxes that laid about around the single room. "Demyx! You come out here right now or else I'm torching this place to bits!" Axel shouted in a growl like manner. However, his growl was shadowed by a completely different growl. "Uh... Demyx?" Turning around to the source of the sound, Axel's body frozed completely as he looked up in the rafters, spotting an angry leapon staring down at him with glaring light green eyes while licking the corner of its mouth. Axel wasn't sure wither to remain still or run for it... run for it. Quickly, he ran for the open front door, only to come to a hault as the leapord leaped down and blocked his means of escape. It snarled, showing off a set of razor sharp fangs. "Oh so you wanna play kitty? Here, play with a ball of... fire!" Holding his hand out, Axel created a orb of fire, throwing it at the leapord. In responce, the jungle cat yowled and dodged the flames, only to come bounding back at Axel, black claws extended. But before Axel could do anything, something jumped in front of him, blocking the cat from reaching the pyro.

It took Axel a moment to realize that he was being saved by a man with long brown hair, pushing the leapord back with a hand-made spear. All the man wore... was a spotted loin cloth. Shoving the leapord some distance, he aimed the spear tip at the animal who viciously snarled back only to retreat back into the jungle outside. Once it was certain the large cat would not return any time soon, the man turned around to face Axel. "Gee, um... thanks. I could of taken on that thing, would of been no trouble for you..." The wild man tilted his head slightly. "Th... thanks." Slightly confused, Axel rubbed the back of his head. "Right... um. So... I'm looking for someone, about this tall." He held his hand up, showing what he thought was Demyx's correct height. "And has yellowish hair, keeps it in a mullet, has a sissy voice. His name's Demyx." "Dem...mix." repeated the man. "Yes! That's him! Can you take me to him?" The man seemed to not understand and motioned a hand to his chest. "Tarzan... Tarzan go." Axel shrugged, figuring this must be the man's name. "Well, in that case. I'm Axel." He said, doing the same thing as Tarzan did. "Got it memorized? A-X-E-L. Tarzan go, Axel follows!" Tarzan nodded, and started heading outside the door. With a sigh, Axel followed close behind. "What did I get myself into now? Demyx better be alright... " Stopping slightly, he could clearly see this wooden house was in fact, an actually tree house, built high above most of the treeline, and unfortunately, as far as the eye could see."Aww... I'll never find him through all of this!" His attention was quickly disrupted when he heard Tarzan made some strange sounds. "Re-ah-oh-oh-yah!" He pointed downward, towards a great branch of a tree. Walking up to him, Axel peered down to see what the fuss was about. "What?" He muttered while looking over the rail. ""Yeah, it's a tree branch. A rather humongous tree branch." Suddenly, and without warning, Tarzan leaped over the railing and down into the trees. "Hey! Wait!" Axel shouted, and without thinking himself, leaped over. His boots made contact with the giant tree branch, and without having enough time to get a look of the area, started sliding downward at an increasing pace.

"WHOA WHA WHA WHOA! WHERE ARE THE BRAKES?" Axel's arms flailed about wildly as he slid down the natural slide, Tarzan not far in front of him. The way was coated in a wet moss that allowed sliding easier, wiether barefooted or in white boots. Somehow, he regained his balance, and shifted his body more towards the side, picking up speeding. Grinning, he crouched down slightly. "This... this is fun!" In his excitement, Axel leaped in the air and twirled as he made a turn. The speed was excelerating, everything seemed to take his breath away. He'll worry about Demyx later, right now he was going bananas! "Oh yea! Who's da man! This Nobody's got skill! Woo! Here I come jungle man! You got a little competion coming your way!" Indeed Axel had taken rather quickly to this new sport, throwing away his main goal and instead seemed to rather be more interested in seeing how far he could slide down. Twisting this way and that, Axel was as giddy as a skate boarding teen. He could seriously catch some air this way... if it wasn't for the fact a small random branch happened to be the perfect height... to smack into Axel's face. WHACK! "...ow." Axel said in a monotonic voice. The small branch didn't stick to Axel's face for long, as it suddenly caught a blaze, while the fire did no such damage to his face, not even a burning sensation. Once the branch was gone, Axel had nothing to worry about... except he had come to a complete hault, had no motion and traction, thus... slipped off. "WAAAHHHHH!"

Meanwhile, in another part of the jungle, Demyx wandered about aimlessly under the forest canopy, the small beams of light from the sun shining down, giving the vive thick area a mysterious appearance to it. The sound of birds and monkies had suddenly faded, as if this was a bad place to be in, and Demyx did not heed the signs. Then again, his mind was elsewhere, thinking of one person and one person only; Axel. Sighing, he shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned against the trunk of a tree. "This place is so quiet." he whispered, staring down at the tangled vines under his feet that were so matted they were as soild as a floor. With a frown, he pulled back the drooping bangs from his eyes and returned his gaze back up to the tree tops. "I'm so lost, I bet Axel's doesn't care now... he's so boss-like. He'll do better than me. Jerk-face..." Suddenly something crossed his field of vision. Turning his head slightly, he watched as a strange monkey creature slowly crossed his path. It stared up at him with glowing yellow eyes. "Heartless..." he whispered, now frozen in place. It seemed to him no matter where he went, heartless were everywhere, after him for no reason what so ever. But this was just one heartless. With a sudden smirk on his lips, Demyx slowly backed away from it, though its eyes were still locked on him. "Hey there little fella... say.. how many heartless does it take to screw a lightbulb? I've give you a hint... THIS MUCH!" Flinging his arm up in front of him, a blast of water shot from his palm, slaming the heartless against a tree and disappeared in a whisp of smoke. "Yea! That's what you get for messing with da man! Oh yea! Demyx you are so the bomb!" As Demyx did a little dance in his small victory, it only brought out more heartless, all looking down at him with angry eyes. He stopped mid-boogie and turned his gaze up at the heartless surrounding him. "Oh... crap."

Summoning up his sitar at the last minute, Demyx flung into high gear, dancing about to avoid the heartless's claws as they came down for the attack. His fingers glided up and down the strings, each tone summoning up water from seemingly nowhere. In jet-like sprays, spouts of water shot upwards, spiking heartless left and right. A little swing there, a little dance here, and a whole bunch of wet heartless before they were finished off. Demyx was smooth in his moves, flowing along with the music as did his water, swaying too and fro as he crushed heartless after heartless. The music was in high gear, and so was his spirits. A smirk widened on his face when the pointed spikes on top his sitar made sweet contact with a neoshadow, turning it into dust. "Ha! I now know how Sora feels! This is too easy and too much FUN!" he shouted, almost laughter in his voice. Each heartless lefted seemed to take the hint and disappeared into the brush. Slightly 'confused', Demyx shouted out, "Running away! HA! WHO'S THE COWARD NOW! HUH? HUH!" Spining his sitar in the air, Demyx smiled 'proudly' at his achievement alone and without Axel. Returning the instrument back into black mist, Demyx had more step in his walk as he continued in the vine floor jungle, until... he fell face first down a hole he failed to pay attention to. "AHHH!" Once again he fell into a tanglement of vines, thus getting one wrapped tightly around one leg, and an arm, do that he appeared to be like a Nobody pinata. "What is this? "Hang Demyx upside down" time? Why me? Why am I always the one blamed for hanging around... oh right... I AM upside down." Trying to pull himself back up, Demyx constantly had to deal with the edges of his white cloak getting in his face. "Egad! I wish I was Xigbar right now, and use gravity to keep my cloak uh... up!" Wiggling about, his fingers clawing at the vines to free him, he paused slightly after hearing a twig snap. "Uh, hello? Someone there? Helloooo, some one? Anybody? ... Axel is that you?" Twisting around slightly, his eyes came face to face with something tall, dark, and covered with black fur. "AHHHHH!" Both screamed.

"AHH! GET THEM OFF ME! OW! OW! THEY BITE! OWWW!" Axel skrieked and danced about, slapping the sides of his cloak as tiny red fire ants crawled all over him. Axel's fall from the sliding branches had been broken by landing on a soft hill. Unfortunately it was a ant hill and the inhabitants didn't exactly like having the buttocks of a nobody on top of them. So naturally, thousands of them had swarm in and attacked the tender flesh of Axel. "Ow! OW! Damn it stop! OW! Look I'll burn you all to dust! OWWOOOWWOW! Stupid bugs! Why do they call you fire ants anyways! You guys don't weild fire, OWW! I DO!" In an instant, Axel's entire body was consumed by flames, burning the pesky insects to nothing. Once the flames died out, Axel took the time to pinch every spot where an ant had laid its pinshers on his skin. "Man that hurts! But seriously, people need to learn to name their animals right. If a critter can weild fire, call it fire whatever... if not, shedup!" Turning his head up towards the tree tops, he wondered where that wild Tarzan had gotten to. But instead, he saw a flash of black and imediately caught sight of something moving in the trees. "Who's there? I demand you show yourself!" he shouted. "Heh heh heh, you were always the dominating one, I'm surprise they didn't put you in charge. But then again, you were destined to betray your own organization for your own selfish plans." "Who said that?" "I did." Axel glanced up at a young man wearing a black cloak. His eyes were a dull green, and his hair was extra long, silverish blue with red streaks kepted in a pony tail braid. A nasty old scar ran under his left eye, parallel with it. He grinned with a sneer. "Oh yea, and just who might you be? The fashionable-unfashionable among the organizations?" Axel said with a sneer. The man laughed, "Such harsh words coming out out of a 'changed' nobody like you Axel. But if you must know... I guess it's only fair. I'm Orixon, number eleven of the Dark Organization. Better write that down before you forget." "Hmph, so the Darks went broke and hired a hippy? It figures." Axel muttered with his arms crossed. "Don't get so cocky Axel, I'm not here to entertain you." "Then what are you here for?" Orixon smirked again, chuckling under his breath. "Wouldn't you like to know? Ain't it obivious, what would organization members do normally? I'll leave you to figure that out, if you can figure that out bird brain." Now irritated, Axel growled, "What did you say? Come down here and fight like a man!" Orixon only smirked back, and suddenly became shroulded in black energy, disappearing on the spot with a portal. "Obvious he says... I wonder what he meant by that?" Axel pondered. With a heavy groan, he turned towards a clearing in the bushes. That was when he saw smoke rising into the sky. "Wah? Smoke... that could mean..." He didn't think, instead he ran towards the signal, only having one thing in mind.

"Demyx... I'm coming!"


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Kaishix belongs to her respectful creator, Orixon belongs to me.

Warnings: slight language, violence, slight blood

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_Calm ocean waves lapped at the shoreline. The sun was just about to set, casting a gentle warm red glow in the sky. The beach's golden sands somehow caught some of the setting light, creating a yellow shimer like gold. Ah, what a perfect place for a musician to conjure up sweet, devine words for a song he was composing. Sitting on a leaning palm tree, providing a natural bench, sat a tall young man with a stringed instrument in his hands. His fingers glided across the strings, releasing sweet tones to compliment the music of the sea. Smiling, he was trully at peace of mind, nothing could ruin such a perfect setting... well... almost nothing. "Dyme! Dyme! Damnit Dyme you're back out here again! Mom's going to kill you... again!" The young man flinched at the harsh words of a younger girl, running down from a nearby path behind him between a couple of sand dunes. With a slight frown he turned around to face her. "Can't I enjoy myself a little sis? I can't pratice my music in the house! You, mom, and dad will complain!" He protested. The young girl, having curly blond hair and light blue eyes stood with her arms crossed, glaring back at her older brother. "That's because you suck! You can't play worth two cents! Anyways, who ever heard of a rock band with a such a ugly guitar!" "For the last time May, it's a SITAR! Look brain-dead! Do guitars have this many strings? Huh? Huh!" May only glared back, the folds of her island flower dress waving in the sea-salt wind. "Whatever, and I'm not brain-dead! Unlike you, mister BrainLESS! Dad says you're stupid for persuing a career in music and you won't get far! Plus the fact you spend more time out here at the beach than at home helping back at the shop! Stop being such a loser!" The words always struck at his heart, tearing him to pieces. Staring down at the sands, he remembered throughout his life he was told he would amount to nothing if he stuck with music. Music was a hobby on his island, not a career. Yet he and a group of friends were pushing the odds, hoping to change it. "I'm not a loser May, I never was... I'm just who I am and if you, mom, and pops don't like it, tough luck. This is my calling, my soul." May suddenly laughed, holding her sides tight. "That reminds me! Your girl-friend called! She said if you didn't get her something speical for the homecoming dance tonight, she's going to go out with Lamaria!" Dyme's eyes widen and his back stiffened. "Not the garden club nerd! That guy's a fruitcake! Who in the world in high school dyes their hair PINK! Maybe a girl... but a GUY? That my dear baby sister, is taking away your own dignity!" "Ahuh.. whatever digknee is... Now hurry up with your sappy love song and come home. I doubt they'll let you get in that dance if you're wearing that stupid Zen shirt and beach shorts!" Dyme turned around, a glare at his sister, who in fact was only a eighth grader. "Shut up you little tramp! You're not the damn boss of me!" May's eyes widen and filled with tears. "I'm telling Mom!" Thus, she turned around and ran back up the path, towards a house that Dyme tried to call home. With a heavy sigh, he returned his gaze to the ocean. That's when a idea struck his mind. With a smirk, he gently placed his sitar away, removed most of his outer clothing off and ran for the waves, as if calling his name. He always had a inner connection with the ocean, and always had a string of good luck. Swimming out a good ways, he sucked in a lungful of air and doved down towards a oyster bed, plucking out a good choice and returned to the surface. With his pocket knife, he pried open the shell, held out an open hand, and out dropped prehaps the most perfect gumball size pearl he'd ever seen. "This should please Kiva, she'll certainly love this in a necklace." He whispered, returning the oyster back to the sea __bottom and returned back to the shore, a bit of happiness in his heart._

Leaping over fallen logs and whatnot, Axel ran through a thicket of bamboo, skidding to a haut once he reached a clearing. "Where, where, where?" He mumbled under his breath, turning around in circles. He didn't want to get lost again, not this time, he swore he could sence Demyx near-by. Changing pace, he dashed through a open path into another clearing. The only thing there was a moss-covered rock in the center, surrounded by the same bamboo trees. Slowly, his eyes gazed over everything, for all Axel knew, Demyx was unconscience somewhere. So anything that appeared to look like a white cloak had to catch his eyes. That's when something in the trees caused a few bushes to rustle slightly. Twisting around, Axel's emerald eyes locked on the location of the sound. "Demyx, is that you?" The bushes continued to quiver, rattling the leaves. Without thinking, Axel's shoulders started to tense up, adrenline pumped through his system, and his leg muscles started to string load. It was only a few seconds, but it seemed like hours as Axel leaped into the air, arching his back into a backwards flip, nearly avoiding the leapord's claws as it came leaping from the cover of the brush. Now in mid-arch, Axel held out both arms, almost like wings, and concentrated. Swirls of white shadows instantly set ablaze from his arms to his hands, and spun in firey circles until his chakrams haulted in his fingers. Landing back on his feet, he squared off the leapord as it stalked him. "Here kitty... kitty... kitty..." He whispered, tauntingly. Axel's eyes were locked on, watching the big cat's every move. Slowly, he raised his chakrams up, holding them in front of him. He didn't need help to bring this feline down. Suddenly the leapord roared, and charged for him. Axel swung to the right, then the left. His chakrams always moving, never stopping in this graceful but deadly dance.

"Burn baby! BURN!" Axel suddenly shouted, and started to engulf himself in flames. So too, did his chakrams as he tossed both at the leapord with incredible speeds. With a roar, and a flash of red fire, it was over. It took Axel a moment to focus his eyes on the fallen heap, the scent of singed fur and grass filling his nostrils. "Well... that went out with a bang." He mumbled to himself. Backing away slowly, he turned away and at a slow yet steady pace followed down a path. He wasn't sure if it was the right path to take, maybe it was a dead-end, maybe it would lead to Demyx. As he walked he noticed the silence now of the jungle. The birds and creatures seemed to of stopped their symphony of natural music directly after Axel's fight. He oftened glanced up into the trees, expecting to see that wild man Tarzan come out of no where. Now, he stopped and looked down at the ground. "Why should this bother me so?" Axel didn't want to admit it, regardless of him being a Nobody and lacked the feeling of emotions, he was lonely. "Damn... I'd give anything to hear Demyx's stupid voice again... This silence is driving me crazy." He frowned slightly, kicking the dirt. But then, his hearing caught something faint. It was barely audiable to the normal human ear, but as a Nobody, Axel's hearing had increased slightly. Trying to pin-point the sound, he listened closely. Voices... three voices. Two he did not reconize but the third... A lump grew in his throat, his hopes running high. Breaking out into a full run, he dashed towards the source, down the path.

Running out of the brush, Axel stumbled upon yet another clearing, but this one was inhabited somehow, and what looked to be a campsite of sorts. Cargo boxes, research equipments, and even some household luxories scattered about. The smoke he had saw earlier, came from an old iron stove top. Frowning slightly, Axel wouldn't give up. Soon his eyes met up with the tent. "Could... could he be in there?" Slowly, unsure, he started to approach the canvas tent. Just before his hand reached out to grab ahold of the door flap, he stopped himself when he heard something in the trees. Turning towards the source of the sound, Axel had to jump back as Tarzan landed in front of him. "Tarzan... hey again. Sorry about way back there, not use to swinging through the trees like you. Hey, do you know if Demyx is in there?" Tarzan glanced up at him, silent. With a few blinks, he seemed to nodded his head towards the tent and entered. Axel shrugged at the gesture and followed. "Jane... Jane... more friends." Tarzan announced. Axel's eyes were met by that of a young woman's, who was dressed like some sort of safari reseracher. "Oh hello." She said. "My name is Jane, what brings you here? Have you lost something?" Right on the money, that woman. "Yeah.. I'm missing a comrade of mine. We got seperated um... some ways from here and I've been on a wild goose chase after him. He's got on the same outfit as me, blue eyes, blond hair, likes to talk up a storm. He's name's Dem.." Before Axel could finished, something knocked the wind out of him, and the next thing he knew, he was looking up at the tent's ceiling, his back to the ground while a familar face hung over him. "AXEL! AXEL! OH MY GOSH YOU'RE OKAY! I WAS SO WORRIED! I WAS SEARCHING ALL OVER FOR YOU AND THEN I WAS ATTACKED BY HEARTLESS BUT I DEFEATED THEM BUT THEN I FELL THROUGH AND GOT MYSELF TANGLED IN VINES AND THESE BLACK FURRY THINGS WERE USING ME LIKE A NOBODY TETHERBALL! I WAS SOOOO SCARED BUT TARZAN RESCUED ME AND TOOK ME HERE...AND...and... AND OH SWEET HEAVEN I MISSED YOU!" Poor Axel's ears were trying to take in every word and his brain was trying so hard to process it. Mainly because the way everything was being said was mixed with mostly wailing and whimperings, drowning out the words. Yep, that was definately Demyx. He even, strangely nuzzled into Axel's chest as if seeking any comfort from the pyro. "Demyx, easy, easy! Calm down boy! Yes, I missed you too. NOW GET OFF!" Demyx quickly slid off Axel and stood up, watching Axel return to his feet and dust off his white cloak. "Well, looks like you two really know each other. I was getting worried that you weren't." Jane interrupted. "Poor Demyx here was certainly lost, and with those creatures running loose again, Tarzan and I have been trying to keep order on our own." A eyebrow raised on Axel's face. "What creatures?" "I believe they're called Heartless... we had them appear here some time ago, but had a friend put an end to it. I believe his name was.." "No need." Axel said, cutting her off from saying the name. "We know what heartless are. Dealt with them many times, we're experts at Heartless slaying." Demyx blinked, tilting his head slightly. "We are?"

Before Axel could protest, Tarzan quickly turned his head back out the door flap, at a destressful cry. He ran out, Axel, Demyx, and Jane joining him. Outside was one of the furry black things Demyx spoke of earlier. It was hopping up and down with a panic face. "Hey it's one of those black furry things." Demyx pointed out. "You mean the gorillas?" Jane corrected. Tarzan crept closer, uttering strange sounds, as if talking to it. The young gorilla calmed down slightly, hooting back to him. It pointed down a path, that seemed mostly shaded. Crossing his arms, Axel wasn't exactly amused by this show. But then Tarzan turned around, looking at both men with worried eyes. "Troop... danger! Danger! Black man... bad... bad!" Demyx glanced at Axel, "What did he mean by that?" Jane's face was also worried. "Tarzan's gorilla friends are in danger! I think a hunter is attacking them. Go with Tarzan, he'll lead the way." Both young men quickly nodded, and followed close behind Tarzan as the three re-entered the thick jungles. But no sooner has they arrived at a clearing before the destination, than a group of heartless shadows and the monkey-like Bouncywilds. "Spread out! Over power them!" Axel commanded, his chakrams appearing once more in a flicker of flames. Demyx's hands flinched, and a bubble of water formed, contorted into shape, and bursted into his sitar. In a graceful twist, Axel slashed through two heartless, watching them slip away into black smoke. Demyx summoned a few water clones by playing a summoning song, commanding them through the notes to do his bidding as they gathered up on some heartless and pulverized them. More heartless appeared and both boys only grin. The ground shook slightly as a pillar of water sprayed upwards, knocking more heartless out by the tune of Demyx's sitar. "Rock on Water boy!" Cheered Axel, who soon threw both chakrams, lit aflame at the last remaining heartless. Demyx grinned, "Looking good yerself Hot Shot!" With a laugh, Axel smashed in a heartless's head, sending it to darkness. Now everything was quiet. Both Demyx and Axel glanced around the scene. "No more heartless. This place is cleared... for now." Axel mumbled. Demyx nodded, then glanced over seeing Tarzan run down the path. "There he goes again!" "Then let's follow him." The two ran close after Tarzan, until they reached a seemingly dead end. The shaded area was hiding something, and the boys knew it. They could sence the presence of Dark energy flowing through the trees. "Be on your guard." Axel commanded. But there, in the center of the shaded clearing, was a young gorilla. It was panicking, running about in circles as if in some sort of invisable cage. Axel's eyes narrowed. "It's a trap." He whispered, but suddenly Tarzan ran over to help his primate friend. "Tarzan no!" Demyx cried, just as a gunshot flew inches from the wild man's face. He backed off, and the three watched as a box, transparent with a light yellow shimmer, disappeared, releasing the gorilla and allowing it to escape. From the tree tops, came the sound of clapping. "Bravo... bravo. You're not as stupid as you both look then. Can't say the same for your little monkey man. Had you not warn him, nasty results I'm afriad... nasty." Axel glanced up to the tree branches, pin-pointing the source of the voice. "Orixon!" On command, the young nobody leaped from the trees, landing down a few feet away from the trio. A evil smirk widen on his lips as he stared them down. Wrapped on his right arm, was a strange dull-green looking gun, the handle and trigger horizontal than vertical like most projectile weapons. "You know him Axel?" Demyx asked. "Yea... a jerk-off from the Dark Organization, we met a while ago. Looks like the lacky is a trouble-maker." Orixon chuckled, "Oh, but trouble-maker is such a strong word. Try something like... oh say... Opportunist... has a much better ring to it." "Your neck is about to wringed!" Axel barked back. "Oh... I'm soo 'scared' from the newly turn hero, Axel. What ever shall I do but give up on the spot and fade into darkness? Hahahahaha!" That broke the last straw on Axel. "Nnrrr, SHUT UP!" He yelled and threw a flaming chakram at Orixon. The Dark nobody smirked, watching the chakram fly towards him. THUNK! "NO WAY!" Both Demyx and Axel shouted. The chakram had a perfect aim for Orixon, but somehow, it completely went through the man and slammed into the dirt wall behind him. Somehow, Demyx caught the sound of a twig snapping. "MOVE!" Everyone scrambled away as a volley of bullets hailed down from the trees. "The kid's a friggin' ILLUSIONIST!" The real Orixon laughed. "That's right! Never judge a book by it's cover fools! And you still do not see what dangers trully lie beneath your feet!" With another laugh, the illusion of Orixon disappeared, leaving the real one still in the trees. The ground rumbled slightly and the dirt wall exploded. In a burst of speed, Tarzan charged at Orixon, but was smacked away by some unknown force. Smirking, the illustionist leaped down, but not to the ground. He was suspended in the air, standing on something that was invisable. "I am the master of illusions. Nothing can stand in my way." He annouced. "And as an illusionist... I can control thoses who uses its powers... even if they are... Heartless." In a flickering flash, two giant lizard like Heartless, Stealth Sneaks, appeared, one Orixon was standing, in a surfing stance. Axel glanced at Demyx, who glanced back silently. No words were exchanged, but the message was clear. "ATTACK!"

Summoning up his fire power, Axel released a blast of flames on the Stealth Sneak Orixon rode on. The creature shrieked and tail slapped Axel away, all the while he dodging multiple rounds from Orixon's unique machine gun. Demyx's sitar blasted a song, causing the ground to crack and spray water at the other Heartless, while Tarzan slashed at it's underbelly with his spear. "One of them's an illusion! Fight the real one!" Axel shouted, reflecting a few stray bullets, aiming them at an angle so that when they came to him, he would deflect them back to the Heartless and it's rider. "I can't tell Axel! They look the same!" Demyx had to turn around quickly, for a few shadow heartless appeared. He swung the head of his sitar at the foul little creatures, so that they were defeated by the prongs of his sitar. Orixon fired a few rounds at Demyx, laughing. "I told you I am the master! I can make my illusions solid if I wish! Nothing can stop my powers! Nothing!" Axel snarled almost, leaping in the air and firing fire balls down. They came flying down, hitting the Stealth Sneak Heartless. There was something, so quick it was almost impossible to see, yet through Axel's eyes it was clear as day. The Heartless Orixon rode has flickered, for that split second there was nothing, and there it was again. He was riding the illusion. With a smirk of his own. "Looks like you're tricks aren't working as they planned... Oreo." Orixon blinked and glared back at Axel. "Don't call me that! I'll kill you if you say.." "Oreo cookie... with a creamy center... no wonder the Heartless "love" your taste." "Shut up! Just SHUT UP!" Again, Orixon aimmed his gun at Axel, and fired. Axel stood his ground, and used his fire to block most of the attacks. A stray bullet buzzed pass his shoulder, nicking it slightly. "Damn it! Okay... no more Mr. Nice Pyro! Demyx! Water Cannon on my command!" Demyx nodded, holding his sitar firmly. Crossing his arms, Axel conjured up a huge amount of fire, watching it grow to great heights, yet never touching the tree branches. "WATER CANNON NOW!" Demyx rocked out on his sitar, causing a rolling pillar of water to appear. Axel uncrossed his arms forcefully, pushing the wall of fire towards the two Heartless. The combined attacks exploded on contact with the Heartless, shrieking loudly. The smoke cleared and the Heartless lizard Orixon rode on shimmered and disappeared, causing the Nobody to topple to the ground, dazed and senged. The real Stealth Sneak collasped to the ground, disappearing in black smoke, as a large heart appeared in the air, then disappearing. "Ohh... who ordered a barbeque and swim fest?" Orixon mumbled holding his head. He stood back up, picking his head up and gasped when his nose was inches from the tip of Tarzan's spear. He glanced at Axel and Demyx, looking as if he was a goner. But that evil smirk returned, dispite his predicament. "Heh... heh heh... heh heh heh... HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Demyx glared back at him. "What's so funny Jerk?" The illusionist nobody stopped his manic laughing and stared back at Axel and Demyx. There was a silence, his dull green eyes narrowed. Then, suddenly, he bolted towards the exposed hill. "You haven't seen the last of me!" He shouted before turning back around and ran for the hill. As he approached, it seemed he was going to run straight into the dirt, but instead had opened a black portal and leaped into the darkness, closing instantly behind him. Light shown through the trees finally, as if lifted from a darkness keeping the light from touching the ground. "We... we won?" Demyx whispered. Axel smirked and nodded. "Yea, but it won't be the last of 'Oero', that can be sure of. Probably pissed him off bad... next time if we meet him again, it won't be as easy of a fight." With a nod, the water weilder dispersed his sitar back into watery mist. Axel's chakrams seem to of set on flames and disappeared in smoke.

Coming from the path behind, was Jane and the young gorilla whom had escaped from Orixon's grasp. "Thank you, both of you. Now Tarzan's gorilla friends are safe once more. You have our deepest graditude." Demyx seemed to of blushed. "Hehe, no problem... hey...we're just glad to of helped and all." Axel nodded. "Yea... couldn't let a jerk like that kid try to bully around those monkey friends of Tarzan's." "Gorillas." Corrected Demyx with a smile. The pyro merely shrugged and rubbed his brow. Tarzan approached the two, placing a hand on their shoulders one at a time. "Friends... friends good. Help troop. Saved home." Demyx nodded, "Yup... we sure did. That bad guy won't be coming back here anymore." Tarzan and Jane nodded together, smiling. Axel tapped on Demyx's shoulder, signalling the water weilder he wanted to go. With a slight nod, he understood. "Well... thanks for allowing us here, but me and my buddy Axel have to jump ship." "Oh, you have a ship waiting? Then thank you for all you have done. We will never forget you." Axel and Demyx nodded, waving to them as they now lefted the clearing, with a new sence of confinence on their shoulders. The two continued down the path, uncertain at where it was taking them. After a long moment of silence, Demyx glanced over at Axel, who seemed focused on the path ahead. "Axel..." The pyro glanced over to him then back to the dirt path. "Yea..?" Demyx paused again, glancing down at the dirt and back to Axel a few times. "Did you... did you really miss me? As in.. you really went out of your way to look for me here?" He appeared to look as if he was guilty at saying that, embarassed almost. Axel didn't reply but continued to stare down the road. When the answer never came, Demyx stopped, watching Axel continued a ways before stopping himself, turning slightly to gaze back at the blond. Demyx dipped his head down, adding more 'shame' to himself. Axel noticed this and blinked in surprise. The way Demyx looked... no. He couldn't... that pose... Axel mentally blinked, and taken back at how Demyx's pose matched his long long ago in a blurred memory. It was clear as day now. "_Tell me... why did the Keyblade choose me? I have to know..._" "_You can't turn your back on the Organization! You get on their bad side and they'll destroy you!_" "_No one would miss me..._" "_That's not true! ..._" "I would..." He whispered, in sync with the memory's voice. Demyx glanced up, confused at what Axel said. The pyro shook his head slowly then returned eye contact. "I would be 'aweful' if I didn't have you around Demyx. Besides... who am I gonna tell my jokes around with? Heheheh." A smile finally broke out from the boy's face. "Thanks Axel..." "Hey no problem... now how about we find ourselves somewhere other than the jungle eh?" Demyx nodded. "Sounds good to me!" Just as they were about to continue, they heard a noise and turned to witness a portal, white and gray in color appear. Just as soon as it opened, a young female in a white cloak leaped through, with black long flowing hair with blue tips, and her eyes a light icy blue. She glanced at the ground then to the two men. "Ah! You! I've been searching everywhere for you two! You must return to Traverse Town, the heartless have massed in greater numbers, that neither I or Hexlar can handle! Please, you must help us!" Both Axel and Demyx simply glanced at one another, they had JUST finished one battle. Oh well. Better get use to it. "Well... Axel it's your call." Demyx didn't have to ask twice as Axel smirked wide, thrusting his arms out to the sides. Two wheels of fire errupted and formed to become his chakrams. Demyx grinned back to Axel.

"Today is a good day for some Heartless plummeting!"


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Kaishix, Zelixar, and Mirax belong to their respectful creators, Hexlar belongs to me.

Very long and detailed paragraphs are to be expected.

Warnings: slight language, violence, blood

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As the swirls of a mixture of darkness and light smoke disappeared from Axel and Demyx's vision... no sooner were they out of the jungles and back into the small eternal night town. It took a few seconds for Axel's eyes to readjust from the lust greenery and bright light of the rain forest, to the moving black carpet on the ground. Wait... black carpet? Taking another look, it was clear this was no black carpet with wiggling antennas and glowing yellow eyes. "Great... they just keep multiplying like rabbits." Demyx glanced at Axel. "What'll we do now?" Axel glanced down at his already summoned chakrams. "Killing spree anyone?" He asked in a sarcastic tone before as always, running head-long into the mass of shadows. Demyx rolled his eyes, and glanced back at the female Light nobody. "He does this... to often. What got him killed last time." She nodded, still looking 'concern'. "Just please help all you can.." With that, she too ran into the masses, her weapon drawn out, cutting away at the heartless. A black blade katana, somehow going from a normal lenght to a monsterous size. How the girl was able to weild such a weapon was beyond Demyx's mind. But now, he stood there, clutching his sitar close to him, not sure if he should join in the fight. It seemed Axel and the Light were doing just fine. Fine... until a soldier heartless attacked Demyx from behind. "AHH!" He screamed out, whipping around and stabbing the heartless with one of his sitar's spikes on the side. He panted slightly, watching the soldier disappear in black smoke. Glancing back to his partner, he realized the heartless were over-powering them. "Hang on guys! I'm coming!" He called out, flailing his spikes side to side like a battering ram. Very few heartless were spared in his wake as he joined the circle the two had created, keeping the heartless at a distance.

Spinning his chakrams like some madman, Axel sliced through heartless after heartless. His body contorting in poses normal men would not be able to bend, as he sliced and hacked his way through the mass, his emerald eyes blazing with the 'thrill' of the killings. Afterall, they were just heartless. Mindless creatures with just the single purpose of dominate and steal the hearts of others, adding to their own massive collective. Jumping into the air, Axel's back arched inward, so his stomach poked out as he gracefully performed a backflip. It was so perfect, it seemed so fake. Landing back on his feet, he threw his chakram at the swarm of heartless he had backfliped over. The two spiked wheels flew, like flaming frisbees, cutting through the heartless like a hot knife through butter. Once the last heartless was slain, the pair somehow turned from their parallel aerial attack, U-turning in opposite directions and headed back to their master. But not without chopping and decapatating a few stray heartless in their wake. Holding his hands up in the air, Axel caught them without so much as a scratch to his hands. He smirked at the work, but it was short-lived as he yelped when the claws of a heartless rained down on his back, making it arched inwards. He hissed through his teeth of his pain, swinging one chakram and crushing in the heartless's head till it vanished in black smoke. "You play with fire, you're gonna... BURN BABY!" Both his chakrams lit on fire once more as he held the burning wheels into the air. Then casting them downward, created a wall of fire that rippled quickly, consuming all in it's path.

Demyx slammed three soldier heartless into the concrete wall, all three disappearing as the top of the sitar stuck through them like a roasted pig. They shivered at the impact, and then faded away. With a smirk, the water weilder flailed around, ripping out a chunk of the wall with him as he raked at more approaching heartless with their claws held up for attack. Once there was a patch of clearance, Demyx flipped his sitar around, holding it and began stinging out a haunting melody. It summoned up five columns of water, swirling around like liquid vortexs exposed. It would seem he was summoning up his water clones as usual. Quite the contrary, he summoning the spouts of waters, and as the song became violent and fast, the columns of water tilted towards the attacking heartless, firing off cannons of high powered sprays. The eruptions caused whole rows of heartless to fall on their dark backs, many disappearing from such a high pressure, a few survived, drenched in cold water, only to be frozen in solid blocks of ice by the young female nobody, Kaishix. "Whoa, nice one!" Demyx complimented her. She smiled before turning back around and slashing through more heartless. All three continued to swing about blindly now... executing a more signature move was out of the question. There was just too many heartless collected in one area, with no way out. There was even aerial heartless and every so often, would swoop down and nearly claw their heads. Axel swung his arm in a circle, raking the chakram's spikes into one aerial heartless and sending it back into darkness from wence it came. With a 'worried' look, Demyx called back to his companion and new alley. "There's too many of them! We'll be out strenght soon!" "Watch me!" Axel snarled, holding bold chakrams out by arms-stretch, and spun them into burning wheels of fire. His whole body soon egnited. "LOOK OUT! IT'S THE AXEL EXPRESS!" Running at full speed, a trail of fire erupted behind the pyro, while a wave of fire burned at his front and his chakrams the "wheels" of this locomotive inferno.

Heartless burned, the strench filled the night air. Yet, no matter how much fire Axel fed, the heartless came back in greater numbers. "Axel! Pull back! You'll kill yourself! This is insane! We'll be killed! Axel!" Poor Demyx shouted, as he and Kaishix were fighting their way away from the increasing swarm. Skidding to a flaming hault, Axel pouted for a moment but then aimed to followed behind. He quickly stopped, however, when the swarm of shadows sealed away the path made by the Light and Demyx. "Shit..." Axel muttered under his breath. Sencing that he was caught, the heartless all around him leapted in the air, claws outstretched. "AXEL!!" Demyx and Kaishix shouted, prepared to see the worst. "RRRRAAAAWWWW!" Demyx, Kaishix, and Axel watched as two light purple whips with what seemed to be razors in the ends of the whips, and were set ablazing in not red, but blue flames. Axel and the others could only watch as the two whips lashed out, slicing through the mob at such speeds, a few times they would breeze by dangerously close to Axel's face, and the pyro would involuntarily blink. Soon the swarm all disappeared in a large plume of black smoke, rising up and reveiling Axel, unharmed. "Axel!" Demyx ran towards his friend, followed by Kaishix. Axel blinked a few times. "Wha.. what was that?" Suddenly, catching the three offgaurd, landed from the sky a tall figure in white, knealing in his land with each arm crossed over and in each hand, was a whip, the same whips that saved Axel. Standing up, the white cloaked figured groaned and staggered. "Hexlar!" Kaishix ran straight for the man, catching him from falling on himself. "Hexlar!?" Axel and Demyx said in amazement. Hexlar stood up, and his hood yell off his head, reveiling... light blue hair, pointed ears, pumpkin color eyes with cat slit pupils, and two scars that ran vertical down each eye. He glanced at Kaishix and waved her off. "It's nothing Kaishix.. these injures are typical..." "You're going to kill yourself at this rate! Look, you're severly injured, report back to the castle now!" A small chuckle rosed from Hexlar's lips. "No can do. Even if you are a higher rank.. this is my homeworld as well too. Are you taking away my right to protect what's left of it?" Kaishix sighed, he was right. "But... you're hurt." "I'll last the night, the battle is not over."

Axel and Demyx approached the man. This could not be the Hexlar they knew last time they met. The Hexlar they met was completely different. "Hexlar..." Axel said, sounding authority-like. The man turned his head, a dried stream of blood ran down his left side of his chin, and down his throat. The source of the cut was on the jaw. Several more injuries were apparent, as blood stains septed through the cloak in the legs, chest, arms, and back. Hexlar's eyes locked on Axel, who tensed up imediately. A smile appeared on the Light's lips. "Strange to discover this is it Axel? I am sorry... both of you.. that I had to disguise myself in order to gain your trust. From what I heard... Axel... you and ... Lunar weilders normally don't get along very well. I understand completely, so I went undercover to prevent old habits and memories to surface and cloud your judgement. Forgive me for having to come to that when we first met. Befriending... a beserker... is not exactly on your agenda, correct Axel?" The pyro appeared to be glaring down at the man, but instead, he nodded. "Yea. I get it. Besides... you're a Light... must be doing something right if they allowed a Lunar weilder in." Staggering back to his feet, his long braided pony tail wavering behind him, the real Hexlar stood taller than Axel, by a mere few inches and that wasn't including the hair. "Are you gonna be alright Hexlar?" Demyx asked, leaning on his sitar on the side. The lunar wielder nodded, and pocketed out a bottle with a blue contents in it. Poping the cork, he gulped down the liquid in a single swallow. Returning the now empty bottle to his cloak pocket, the ripped wounds on his jaw, arms and body started to seal up. Axel and Demyx watched in silent awe. "Super potion.. I carry an inventory with me. You two might want to stock up on some potions and elixers. You'll never know when they'll come in handy. There is a shop... in the first district that sells just that." Demyx nodded, though Axel was more reluctant to continue in the conversation.

Suddenly, there was a low rumble. All four turned their attention towards the bell tower and watched as a large soldier-like heartless appeared from the tower. It clanked about, each arm, leg, and head was simply floating around the large chest. Demyx stepped back a few steps while Axel and the Lights stood there ground. "Kaishix..." Hexlar whispered. The ice weilder glance to her right at him. "Shall we show the Heartless the Lights are not to be taken well... heh heh lightly?" She smirked and laughed once. "You and your words..." Summoning forth her sword, and he summoning back his whips, the two Lights ran straight into attack. Axel grinned, but turned to look at Demyx. "You can sit this one ou..." Demyx ran past him, leaving Axel in the dust and wide eye. "YEEEEAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!" He screamed and started jamming up a killer rock song. Water from the nearby fountain rosed and soon formed a dozen clones. Axel smirked. "Nice Demy... real nice." Summoning back his beloved chakrams the pyro ran straight ahead. Leaping into the air, he sliced downward at the heartless's head. All the while the others were focusing on the rotating limbs. Meanwhile... standing on top of a nearby rooftop, stood two figures, one in white, the other in black. It was clear they were organization nobodies. However, it was clear one was a Light Organization member, the other remained in question. "How long do you think this will last?" Muttered the one in black, under a hood. The hooded on in white, clearly a female, smirked and replied. "Hexlar and Kaishix are strong... but this isn't about them, it's about those two." "The Orginals?" The cloaked one in white nodded. "This war will not end in success should they fail. You should try to show a little support Zelixar." The man in black raised a hand and twirled his right index finger. "That's my support. I care not what happens to this war. Another will start, and another, and another as long as we as nobodies continue to exist. There is no such thing as true peace Mirax. Not even your illusions can hide you from that truth." Placing her hands to her hips, Mirax snorted. "Oh lighten up Zelixar. You dwell too much in the Darkness. You are a respectful Light member. Please.. why so negative? Is there something you know but won't say? Are you afraid to share it?" Zelixar grunted under his hood, still watching the fight below, before losing interest and turned his back. "It's not what I know... nor am afriad... it's what I know but they do not... and what I know... is what can cause this war to lose out of our favor. A Darkness has split in those two... it won't be long before the Dark's Superior unleashes them... to kill off those two. I wouldn't be surprise if this heartless invasion is their doing." Something shifted on Zelixar's back and a few black feathers fell to the roof. Mirax sighed, unable to come up with a sutiable reply. "I'm heading back to base... don't wait up." He said and a big black wing outstretched itself. It was only one wing, and yet able to obtain flight. He jumped into air and flapped higher until he disappeared into the night sky, black feathers leaving a trail where he was. Mirax shrugged, glancing down at the battle, before opening a white and blue/gray portal. She hesitated, but entered, returning to base as well.

Back at the battle scene, three sets of water columns spung from the ground, blasting the armored heartless. Kaishix threw out a few ice blasts, freezing the legs. As a finish, Axel and Hexlar combined their powers, red and blue flames melding into one another. In one explosive show, the heartless's legs broke and disappeared into darkness. Soon another combined sets of attacks and a left arm was lost. Axel and Demyx combined together, releasing a swirling combination of fire and water, damaging the head, and remaining arm. All that remained now... was the body, and it became a powerful laser cannon. It started to take aim for the group. Kaishix whipped her head to Hexlar, who was panting through his teeth. "Hexlar, go beserk!" But the man glanced back at her and gave her the look of "yea right." Hexlar... was a Lunar weilder, but was not willing to venture into the madness of the beserker rage. He was a gentle man by nature, an excelant fighter, and loyal member and companion of the Lights. Going beserk was the last thing on his mind, and would only gain that much energy from the moon's light in extreme emergencies. Axel dashed ahead, ignoring the roar of the cannon as it begun to charge up. He leaped up, untill he landed on up of it and proceded to ride it like some bucking bronco. The heat from the cannon was intense, not even Axel, a fire wielder could handle. He gritted his teeth at the plasmatic energy heat rising off the heartless metal, as he held both chakrams in the air, then plunged them down, stabbing and thrashing about in a fit of madness. Hexlar, Kaishix, and Demyx stood back. The Lunar weilder smirked and chuckled. "And you wanted me to go beserk Kaishix. Seems Axel's just having a bad day." "That's Axel for ya." Demyx added, wide eyed at Axel's rage. Just then there was a boom, and Axel staggered on the body, standing up and using his chakrams for balance. The cannon laser had been stopped and was about to implode on itself! "AXEL GET OFF!" Demyx shouted, clutching his sitar so hard, sweat started to covered the surrounding wood from his palms. Axel leaped forward in a sumerault, just as remaining bit of heartless exploded into oblivion. "DUCK DOWN!" Hexlar snatched Kaishix, using his body to protect her while Demyx covered his head with his raised arm.

There was a rush of wind, then silence. Demyx slowly looked up, to servey the scene, no sight of Axel. "Axel? Axel!... AXEL!" "Shut up, geez... I can hear you perfectly clear." Axel said appearing behind Demyx, using his pinky finger to open up his ear. He braced himself as Demyx rushed for a hug. "I thought you didn't make it!" He whimpered. Axel snorted and smirked, looking all so 'proud'. "Relax, it takes more than an exploding Heartless to stop ole' Axel! Got it memorized?" He commented, tapping his forehead. Another tight hug. "I've got it perfectly! Word for word!" Axel couldn't help but smile. Releasing his grip, Demyx turned to face the Lights. "Aw, leaving now?" Hexlar and Kaishix nodded, a white portal behind them. "You helped save our Somebody's homeworld. One day, we'll be able to return home. But until then our castle is as good as any home. We have friends... each other and our Superior is so kind. We have to report back though. Let him know we've came into contact with you and the success of this battle." Kaishix explained. Demyx smiled. "So where's your castle? Maybe we can visit sometime?" Hexlar chuckled. "A long way away... It's in a world where Light will always be welcomed. We must depart for now... but rest assure... we shall cross paths again." Hexlar slowly held his hand out... aimed at Axel. The pyro glanced at the white glove and extended his white glove, shaking the man's hand. "Likewise. I guess... not all Lunar weilders are under bad wraps eh?" Hexlar nodded. "It is the weilder, not the element, that is to be judge. The element is merely a power, a gift. And like all gifts, can be treasured and used correctly, or abused and used improperly." "I'll keep that in mind then, well... so long." Axel and Demyx waved the two Lights off as they entered the white portal, disappearing behind them. The streets were quiet once more. Demyx glanced at Axel. "Now what? Where do we go now?" Axel continued to hold that smirk. "Next world I guess. Gotta keep them safe from the Darkies." The blonde nodded and watched as Axel opened a new portal. "Axel..." The red head turned around. "Yea?" "Don't ever leave me..." Axel blinked, and patted Demyx's shoulder. "No chance... we're a team. Come on... let's go. Who knows where this portal will lead us next!" Demyx smiled and 'happily' followed Axel into the portal.

If only they had known of the danger behind their backs as they lefted...


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Lilix belongs to her respectful owner, Orixon belongs to me.

Very long and detailed paragraphs are to be expected.

Warnings: slight language, slight violence

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On top of the bell tower of Traverse Town, stood two figures in black organization cloaks. They stood still and watched the battle below on the street intensify, watching with keen interest mainly at Axel and Demyx than the two Lights. "Nice Heartless you resurrected. But it's not enough to stop them. If a Keyblader can defeat it, it's piece of cake for those fools." The other hooded figure smirked under his hood, his nose down exposed, but eyes shadowed in darkness. "Indeed... I like these games... the predator luring the prey into a trap." The second hooded figure, his face completely hidden, approached closer and stood beside the other. "... I want to kill him." "I know you do..." "I want to kill him NOW!" The second figure started to lurch forward, but was held back by the first. Though the first appeared thin, he was indeed strong to hold the other man back. "Not yet Double Dee, not yet! You will see blood run soon. Wait! Savor the moment when your weakling half quivers in a corner and you may do as you please. Then you may strike nonexistent fear into him. Imagine... that blonde... his blood and limp body in your hands, after chasing him until he is alone. Let me content with the pyro… separate him from Demyx... and he's yours. Axel won't be able to protect him forever." The second figured seemed to of calmed down. A low, extremely dark chuckled roused from him. "I can't wait...we'll end this game soon... and no longer worry about being weak. They will die, oh they will. When I confront Demyx... I'm going to be playing his death song!" The first figure laughed just as evil as the second. "That you will... that you will. But I believe this battle is over." He nodded over, as the remaining piece of heartless exploded, and soon, the Lights and Axel and Demyx soon departed their separate ways. Axel opened a portal, speaking to Demyx. The second figure narrowed his eyes through the hood. He struggled a bit in the other man's arms, still wanting to break Demyx's neck. "Darkness will overpower Light... oh they will see... they will see." He muttered with a vile tone in his voice, like spitting poison. The first figure grinned and released his hold of the other as the two below disappeared in the portal. "I have a plan on how we can smite out our weak Lights once... and for all... got it memorized?"

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Snow covered mountains blanketed the landscape. It was the middle of winter and the snow was as thick as peanut butter. One of these breath-taking mountains strode a young girl on a cliff edge, looking down at the Imperial city far below. A smirk widen on her lips, as the icy winds blew through her silver hair. Her silver eyes remained focused, ready to deliver the blow on this mountain. Reaching into one of her black cloak pocket, she pulled out a goft ball sized silver sphere. With a slight chuckle, she gazed at its sleekness and her reflection. But it was not her gaze into herself that held but turning the sphere ever so slightly as the reflective image of a portal appeared behind her. A sneer rose on her lips, knowing exactly who it was and she merely growled when the figure stepped forward. Stepping forward before staggering to one knee, was a slightly wounded and bruised up Orixon. Turning completely around, Lilix merely watched silently while a secret and silent nonexistent hate grew in her. Standing up, groaning at himself while dusting off a bit of dirt off his cloak's shoulder. "What are YOU doing here? I thought Superior placed you in that forsaken jungle." Orixon merely smirked and approached Lilix, who made no attempt to move away, but instead tensed her hands, ready to summon up her black sai if needed. Orixon was not well liked in his organization, mainly because he was a jerk… a serious jerk. "I did… but the wannabe heroes gave me the upper lip." "You mean they defeated you? Bah, you were always the stupid one. Hide in your mirrors Orixon; you're invading on MY mission!" A huffed laugh escaped from the young man's throat. "Oh? Am I? Funny, it looked to me you were slacking on the job. Tsk, tsk." A growl replied from Lilix as her silver eyes shot daggers at the rank of eleven. Yet Orixon did not seem to back down from his higher rank, when he was taller than her. "Temper, temper Lilix. Can't have you blow a top, or else our Organization won't have 'Bomber Girl' to do the nasty work to lure Axel and Demyx into our trap."

Turning around, Lilix challenged Orixon, puffing her chest out slightly, showing that she was not backing down from his foul insults. "You are such an idiot, you know that!? We're not to get too obligated here with those fools! That's their Darkness's job! You want to mess with D.A.'s weapon in YOUR twig of a stomach!" "I rather brush my teeth next to Xenerox in the morning and face his silly Berserker chakrams than mess with the Darkness from those two. Bleh, they give me the hibee jebees." Fists balled up and tighten, and Lilix held one up to Orixon's nose. "I'll show you hibee jebees in a minute if you don't report back to base now and get off my mountain!" Pushing her fist down, Orixon made a smirk. "I don't see your name on it 'Lilly'…" "THAT'S IT!" Thrusting her hands to the sides, Lilix summoned her black sai weapons, and swiped them at Orixon, until he backed against the side of the rock face. "Call me that again you punk and I'll start slicing ya face open to add to that stupid scar of yours AND start calling you OREO!" Fire flared in the man's eyes and he shoved the sai away to the side, glaring at her with just as much nonexistent anger as her. "I like to see you try midget!" "I will!" "Not if I tell Superior about this!" Holding up his hand, a photograph suddenly appeared, revealing an image of Lilix sitting on a park bench with another Nobody in a black cloak. But unlike her, this Nobody was a young boy with aqua green hair that was wild and unkempt, and on his cloak's left sleeve was a symbol of a different Organization, since he never really wore the sash around his neck his Superior asked for that group to wear. Lilix's eyes widen and gasped. "Fancy that… isn't that… the Neutral Organization's SECOND-IN-COMMAND?! My, my… dear Lilix. Fraternizing with the enemy are we? Looks like you have a soft spot after all. I wonder what Superior Xariaha will say to this, hmm? Could be nasty, yes quite nasty." "Give me that NOW!" Lilix's hands frantically waved about, trying to snatch the photo from Orixon's hand, but he kempt it high in the air, far beyond her reach. "Orixon! Give me that photograph now before I decapitate your head!" Orixon snickered. "You'll need a ladder for that!" "Wrong head moron!"

Suddenly, his face paled dramatically with a sick sense in his gut, and he made the photo disappear. "Fine... I'll keep that in 'confidential' filing, as long as I get what I want." "You can blackmail other members all you want, but leave me out of this! What I do is MY business!" "Is it now? I beg to differ... I guess I'll have to report something back to Superior about this anyways." "Like hell!" "Unless you kiss me." Lilix snarled and pressed a sai to his chin, just long enough to reach and press into it. "I rather fade away at the hands of the Lights Superior Xtutela than kiss so much as your sorry ass straight to hell!" Shrugging his shoulders, the Illusionist finally backed off. "Fine... well, you can't blame me for trying eh? See you back at the castle. You better not be mingling with Xelloxia... even if he's a Neutral... he's still the enemy and as such... should be treated as one." Lilix hissed through her teeth. "I know that. Now get lost before I report to Xariaha that you've been distracting me in my work!" A new smirk and the man backed away, as a dark portal opened behind him. "Have fun in Chinatown then... at least bring home a fortune cookie for me!" With that he left through that portal, disappearing finally and allowing Lilix back to her main goal.

"Here's your fortune... may you lose one of your eyes to a freak accident like your old 'master' did before the Keyblader of Light caused old Xigbar to kick the bucket early."

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A light crisp breeze blew through Axel's hair, as he surveyed the scene and groaned deep in his throat at the landscape. Snow, snow, and more snow. Nice, nothing like stepping to an element Axel didn't partake in trudging through. It reminded him to much of 'El Dead-o Vexen Loco'. "Hmmnnnn…" Another dissatisfying groan. Demyx glanced back at Axel then looked back toward the snow covered mountain. "Stop complaining… I hate it too… reminds me too much of Vex…" "Say that name and I'll gut you like the fish you are!" Axel snapped and Demyx's eyes went wide. "Okay," he squeaked and merely stood watching Axel walk a few steps, listening to the sound of the snow crunch under his feet. "Axel… what are we to do here? It's too cold here and I'll freeze up if I don't seek out warmer areas." Axel glanced back at his companion, who was indeed right. Water in a chilly environment usually did not fair well. "Let's keep moving then. Maybe we'll come across a village or something in this godforsaken world." The winds picked up slightly, blowing through Axel's hair and making it appear as if he were a lion with a fierce mane. It was enough to put Demyx in both awe and slight 'fear'. But silently, he followed the pyro down a discovered trail down the mountain. "Hey Axel… what is this world called?" Demyx asked while slipping and sliding on the icy embankment. Before Axel's own lips parted to move, Demyx slid down on his bum, screaming down the path until his slide was broken by a large rock. "Ow…" Axel quickly slid down to Demyx's aid. "Demyx, you idiot, watch your footing! You'll break your neck out here!" Demyx rubbed his head and grumbled. "Yea, sorry Axel, I guess I wasn't look and… AH!" Demyx and Axel both looked up at the rock… that wasn't a rock at all. The two gazed up at the muzzle of a monstrous looking creature with large eyes, big fangs, and a beard about the chin. It stood on a worn pedestal, with three clawed feet and a long tail. "Axel… what … what IS it?" Demyx finally asked as he broke the silence between the two. Axel's eye scanned the statue up and down, searching his mind for the answer. He found it within a minute. "Dragon… It's a dragon. This must be the Land of Dragons world."

Silence came from the Nocturne, and normally he would explode with questions that certainly gave Axel a headache from hearing. Yet, not a word, not a single thing was uttered from the blond, except for "Hmm." Axel raised a red eyebrow but decided best not to ask now, even though he could clearly see Demyx was troubled, but it never occurred to the pyro to ask what was wrong. "Come on, we're wasting daylight as it is." He said with a gruff. Standing back up, Demyx wiped away the snow stuck to his cloak and silently followed Axel, but turned his neck around to glance at the stone dragon a few more times. Strange… from this angle, the dragon appeared to be missing its right eye. As if someone had broken it off. What was left was a slight hollow space where the eye once as. If Demyx hadn't known any better, he would have thought that the person in question that may have vandalized that statue… was someone he knew. Someone he once trusted. Someone… who is dead now. Axel lifted his head upwards, after watching his feet sink into the snow. It rose to just above his ankles and in some areas, halfway up to his knee. He was slightly thankful for wearing such long boots. But then he noticed that if he lingered just slightly, the snow started melting around his feet a lot faster than it would normally do. "Heh. Looks like I'm too hot for my own good." He whispered to himself, slightly amazed that he was melting the snow and ice without really wanting to, not even coming close to using his fire powers. Axel glanced back at Demyx, catching the blonde staring back at the dragon statue. "Demyx quit looking at that thing. It's not going to come alive and eat you." Demyx jumped slightly at his words. When he turned his head back around and faced Axel, the red-head glanced back at the path ahead. He frowned slightly, but continued to follow Axel's lead down the mountain. Carefully, Demyx placed his footing into each hole of snow and ice that Axel had stepped, taking advantage of the pyro's abnormal body temperature that melted the snow in his wake to prevent from slipping again. "Hey Axel, let me know when we find a place to stay the night okay?" The fire wielder glanced over and nodded. "Sure. Hey Demyx, I found us a place to stay."

"Oh ha ha ha! Very funny Axel!" Demyx said while placing fists on his hips. Axel snickered and shook his head. "No, no. For real… look." He pointed in front of him, and Demyx trudged fresh snow to see what Axel was pointing at. His eyes widened as they met with the tiny walls and outline of the Imperial City. It's palace the highest building from the rest. "That's where we'll go for the night. It's nestled at the bottom of the mountain… should take us all day to get there if we hurry." Axel explained and continued trudging down the path he found, hoping it would lead them straight to the city. Demyx followed close behind with a smile. A first since they got there. "Ya know, I think we're having a bit of good luck this time. We haven't come across any Heartless, no Dark Organizations members, and nothing bad has happened to us! I say this world has a mighty strike of good luck now." "Don't hold your breath." Axel muttered under his, a puff of steam rising as he spoke. As luck would have it, it did not hold good fortune for very long. Up, higher above Axel and Demyx, on top of the cliff face, Lilix of the Dark Organization paced about in circles, cussing up a storm, and stomping her feet hard against the ground. "I swear! If I ever get a chance I'm going to wring that fruit loop's neck with a tire wrench! GAH! Orixon needs to be shot a hundred times, burned, mutilated, pour acid on, and explode!" In a fit of nonexistent anger, she had removed a silver sphere from her cloak pocket and threw it into a small hill of snow. It stuck out slightly, and suddenly two tiny light dots blinked on the sphere. One red, one a blinking green. The red was not completely lit, but Lilix already knew what that meant. "Oh… dear, I guess I must of 'accidentally' turned on my bomb. Um… Adios!" Throwing her hand up in the air, a dark portal swirled into appearance and she immediately jumped through, closing completely behind her. The bomb beeped, each beep getting faster and faster, until finally it beeped a long flat line, and then the red light blinked bright.

KABOOM!

Axel and Demyx quickly turned behind them to see where the origin of the noise was. He could see the plume of snow and rock being thrown into the air by the blast, far away from them. But then, the ground under their boots began to rumble. They watched in horror as a huge carpet of snow and debris started to wipe down the face of the mountain, and heading straight for them. "RUN!" Axel screamed, and the two ran down the path. The snow there wasn't as slick, but it made getting to safety a lot harder. "Hurry, Axel! Hurry!" Demyx cried out, keeping up the pace with Axel. If Axel had his heart in his chest right now, he swore it would be beating like stop watch. He broke out into a full gate, his white cloak trailing behind him. His legs stretched out as far as he could in front of him, leaping over fallen logs and rocks. Demyx on the other hand, was not as blessed with use agility and started to lag behind. "Axel! I can't make it!" He cried out, losing his breath in hard gasps. But his voice went unheard as the avalanche roared closer and closer. Demyx tried to catch up to Axel, by leaping over the objects. He was doing great for the first half mile, but soon tripped over a hidden log blanketed by snow. Falling on his face, Demyx rolled over a few times before snagging his right ankle into a log with a hole. "Axel!" He cried out, watching Axel to continue to speed away. "AXEL! SAVE ME! I'M STUCK!" He screamed so hard his throat began to sore. The pyro finally turned around, seeing his friend in trouble, and race back to Demyx's side. The wall of snow, ice and rock was almost upon Demyx's small frail body and he held his arm up over his head as a last means to protect himself. Suddenly, he heard an explosion of flames and felt the heat on his skin. Looking over, Axel stood to his left, both arms held out with out spread hands, fire shooting from his palms in massive amounts, blocking the avalanche. "Demyx quick! Free yourself and run to safety! I can't hold it off forever!" Pulling with all his might, Demyx freed himself from the dead log. He wobbled back up on his feet and watched the fires, burn at the approaching snow, but it wasn't enough and Axel was quickly losing energy. "Axel! Come on!" He shouted, but Axel merely shook his head and shouted back. "DEMYX GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HERE! NOW!" That was enough for Demyx to scramble up a boulder high enough to evade the avalanche. But no sooner had he reached the top, the fires died down and Axel was immediately covered in the cascading snow. "AXEL NO!!!"

The roar of the snow continued for five agonizing minutes. Demyx's eyes were wide, feverishly searching for Axel in the river of snow and debris. No one could survive. Tall trees snapped under the pressure and were carried away like sticks. Soon the snow came to a crawl as it no longer carried the momentum to continue. Once everything settled and the world was quiet once more, Demyx gazed over the new landscape. "Axel! Axel! AXEL!" He called out, but was only answered by the faint echoes of his own voice. His body shivered, both from the cold frigid air, and at the thought of the lost of his companion. "Axel… please, please be alive! I can't go on without you! I can't do this on my own!" Curling up, he brought his knees to his chest and shivered. He wanted to cry, wanted to scream out in anguish over losing his friend and partner. But knowing he was a Nobody and lacked a heart, pained him even more. He sat there, silently. Not wanting to continue onward, Demyx decided he would wait and then freeze to nothing. He could not bear being alone like this. He whimpered. "Axel… please be alive. Show me a sign that you're alright." No sooner had Demyx whimpered in his words, than he saw a red glow in the snow not terribly far away from his stone perch. "Huh? Axel?" He stood up and leapt off the boulder, and ran over to the red spot. The snow felt warm and was melting. Falling to his knees, Demyx clawed away the snow and slush. "Hang on Axel! I'm coming! I'm coming! Hang on!" His hand broke through into what seemed to be a hollow cavity. It was very warm inside, almost like reaching into a oven. He was about to recoil his arm, until he felt a hand snatched his. He panicked at first but then grasped a hold of the hand and pulled up with all his might. Using both arms, he managed to pull up the rest of the arm, and was greeted by the vibrant color of red, spiky hair. Axel gasped and sucked in the fresh mountain air into his lungs. Crawling out, he curled up in the snow, all the while gasping for breath. "Axel you're alive!" Demyx cried out and leaped on top of the pyro. "Yes, yes, I'm alright I'm… Doowah!" He huffed as Demyx's stomach landed on top of his. "I thought you died! I saw you get buried under all that snow and then the rocks and ice!" Axel grinned and shook his head. "Nah… I couldn't hold it off, so I made a fire dome over me. Course… after the snow stopped, I couldn't breathe in that little snow cave." He paused and sniffed a lock of his hair. "Great, now I smell like French toast."

Demyx giggled a bit in his throat and helped Axel up to his feet. "What do you think caused that explosion?" Axel turned back to the origin of the avalanche, seeing a nice chunk of rock and snow missing from the mountain top. "What do you think?" He asked with the intentions of knowing the answer. "That girl? The one with the bombs we dealt with in Twilight Town?" "Bingo." Axel pointed out. "How's your leg?" Demyx looked down and shook it a bit. "It's alright. But then… does that mean the Dark Organization is up to no good again?" "When are they not? I get the impression they're trying to slow us down. Stop us from reaching out goal." "Which is?" Demyx asked. Axel shrugged and glanced back down the mountain, figuring out where the path maybe. "I dunno. Maybe seek out this Neutral Organization. That Drakxis guy did say they could mean the difference between this Organization War coming out good or not." "But Axel, nothing good comes out from war. It just brings more bad things." Axel grumbled, placing a hand to his forehead and sighed. "Demyx, all this talk about questions and all is giving me a headache. Shut up for a while okay? Augh." Demyx frowned, but walked alongside Axel as the pyro continued to massage his temples. "I swear any more heavy thinking and I'll turn into Vexen in this icy wonderland." He grumbled. For a long time the two silently descended down the rest of the mountain. A few birds flew overhead in the blue sky, singing cheerfully. The wind continued to blow gently, but it was chilling to the bone. "Axel?" Demyx broke the silence once again. "Hmm?" Demyx tried to figure out what to say, to keep the silence away. So, without really thinking about, he asked a random question. "What's your real name?" Axel stopped in his tracks and turned to face Demyx. "Say that again?" He asked, not aggressively, but rather in disbelief that Demyx would ask such a question. "Your… real name. Do you remember it?" Axel furrowed his eyebrows, with a face that seemed determined yet confused. How long has it been since he remembered his true name? It was such a long time ago. Emerald eyes glanced back to the blonde's ceruleans and slowly replied a name. "Lexa."

Turning back, Axel silently continued, leaving Demyx to repeat the name with his own lips. "Lexa… Hey Axel wait!" He called out and hurried up back to the pyro. "Wait Axel! Lexa has an x in that name! I thought you had to have a different name and when you became a Nobody, it got scrambled around with an x thrown in there." Axel rolled his eyes. "I'm different. Plus it saved Xemnas the trouble to rearrange my name when I was inaugmented into the Organization. Same went with Saix. We both had smaller names than the rest of you guys. It's easier to just scramble it than scramble and add another x into the mix." Axel explained, though not to his liking. "What was your life like back then? You know… when you had your heart." Axel paused, searching his mind for any of the severely broken pieces of his Somebody life. He only knew bits and pieces and they all had one thing in common. "Depressing…" He said in conclusion. "How come?" More questions?! How does Demyx not learn when to shut up about touchy subjects, including Axel's past. "Why do you want to know!?" He asked, almost barking back at the water wielder. "I'm just wondering. You have such a wild personality that it's hard for me to picture you coming from a depressing life." Axel bit his lower lip, and narrowed his eyes. "So why was it depressing Axel?" With a short growl, Axel blurted out. "How about losing your parents to sickness and war, worked in the most agonizing jobs there was just to make sure you got food in your stomach and a place to sleep, then go and waste my teen years in military training until I was deemed fit for war and was one of the best killers in the kingdom. That's why it was depressing! I had no child hood, unlike you I'm sure you lived the life of beach-going luxury." Demyx frowned as deep as he could go until his face hurt. "No… I didn't." "Oh?" "I don't remember a thing about my past. I don't even know my real name. And… I'm sorry… If I had a heart right now, it would be broken by your words. Axel I had no idea you had such a miserable life! Is that why… you and… you know… hung out often? Then when he left, you tried to bring him back?" Axel sighed, letting the heat from his oppressed anger slip away from his body. "Yes… yes Demyx. Roxas was like the little brother I never had. He and I hung out a lot because I thought… it felt good, though I couldn't feel it, we had a great friendship together. I miss him a lot. He… was the only one that made me almost feel, and reminded me of the very few circle of friends I had long ago. But… my world's dead now. When we get our hearts back, I'll probably go elsewhere. There's nothing in my world but bloodshed and war."

By the time they reached the Imperial City's gates, the two of them had been silent the whole way, as dusk began to settle. Demyx finally had taken the hint and told himself mentally to no longer prod Axel of his past, as already the pyro was no longer in his sarcastic good mood. Most of the time, during the descent, he had worn the face that appeared to look like self-guilt or disappointment. Whatever was on his mind, Demyx would make sure not to ask him. Though his curiosity was still nagging his mind to ask, he would bit his lip and curse in his mind that it'll make Axel aggressive and perhaps accidentally harm Demyx. The gates were guarded by two Asian men, wearing thick armor and furred clothes for keeping warm. They each held a spear, and once Axel and Demyx appeared, the two spears crossed, blocking the two from entering the city. "You two! State your business here strangers." One of the guards demanded. Axel cleared his throat and stared the men down. "Just looking for a place to eat, spend the night, and then leave. We're looking for a group of trouble makers and want to stop them if you know what I mean." The second guard eyed Axel, not use to seeing a man with fire red hair. "Your name… is it not Axel?" Both Axel and Demyx blinked in surprised. "Yes, how did you know my name?" The second guard went from all aggressive authority to a cheerful smile. "The Emperor has been expecting you! He has been told that you and your friend would be coming soon and aide our city!" Demyx glanced at Axel, as the pyro looked back at him. "Who do you think told the Emperor we were coming?" Demyx asked, forgetting not to ask questions, but this was important. Axel shook his head and shrugged, just as clueless as Demyx. "I don't know, but I guess we'll find out soon enough." He turned back to the guards. "Can you take us to the Emperor then?" The second guard nodded. "Yes of course! Follow me!" The gates slowly opened and the second guard entered into the city. Axel and Demyx glanced at each other one more time before they followed close behind the guard to keep from getting lost.

The gate behind them suddenly closed, preventing anyone from escaping or entering the Imperial City.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Very long and detailed paragraphs are to be expected.

Warnings: slight language ... first evidence of shonen-ai

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The palace was prehaps one of the grandest sights to the two nobodies had witness on their journey so far. Dragons of the Eastern culture guarded doorways, carved in the most detailed work on some of the most beatiful carved stones. The woodworking was enough to get a response out of the stern and serious face of Axel, as he raised an red eyebrow at the detail. This was certainly how Xemnas has describe the world's palace way back, when he first started handing out missions to the organization shortly after it had formed. "Looks neat, makes ya wanna redecorate your room, eh Dems?" Axel sarcastically asked as they passed another set of doors, following the guards until they reached the final large door that would lead to the palace throne room. "I was just thinking about that. You know I betcha... all of our stuff got thrown out when those meanie face Darkies took over our castle. I miss my room." Demyx whimpered and folded his hands together, letting them droop in front of him with his head tilted down, staring at the titled floor. Axel frowned, knowing the same fate must of happened to his own personal belongings. The Darks probably took his things and burned them, just to make a mockery out of the pyro. He glared at nothing, as the thoughts poured into his mind, images of these Dark Organization nobodies piling up his belongings, his personal things, things that meant something to him that identified with him... coated with lighter fluid and having whatever Fire wielder they had, lit the pile ablaze. Axel knew they were just stuff... but they were HIS stuff, stuff that tried to make him 'feel' like a somebody. Gone in a puff of smoke. Forever. The images in his mind's eye pained him and he casted a glance at Demyx, anything to deter away from wanting to destroy something in attempts to unleashed this pinned up nonexistent anger building up inside him.

Soon they came to a golden door. Two guards that stood on either side cast their glances at the two Nobodies and nodded, allowing them access to the Throne room. The guard ecsorting Axel and Demyx kindly nodded and turned around and lefted back to his post. Both men glanced at each other once before the gates were unlocked and they silently approached the Emperor in his throne. Once they reached the top, Demyx noted how wise looking the man was, no wonder he was a great Emperor. Axel on the other hand, blinked once then slightly bowed, merely out of respect. This was the Emperor's world.. and as such... Axel was technically a 'guest', so they ought to respect that. Out of the corner of his eye, Axel noticed Demyx staring on, and nudged his elbow. "Wha?" He mumbled, glanced at Axel then blinked. "Oh." He then, made a bit of a clumsy slight bow, but it was enough to get by. "Heh heh heh, that is quite alright. You two were foretold by a messenger in clothing like yours but in black. The man said you were of great importance in protecting our imperial city from a terrible danger up on the mountain tops." Explained the wise Emperor. Demyx and Axel quickly glanced at one another before returning to the Emperor. "Black cloak? Did you by any chance see his face? How long ago was this when you got the message?" Demyx pipped up, his eyes seemed to attempt at feeling curiousity and anxiety. Could it possibly be that... lo and behold, Organization XIII's second in command was back as well and working on the side of good as well? Sure, Xigbar was a bit of a push over but it was he that helped Demyx bring back some confidence in his abilities, only to fail when sent to Hollow Bastion.

The Emperor simply nodded at Demyx's eager question. "A man with short black hair, and carried in his arms a great black and silver scythe. The message had come about a week ago and since then we have been awaiting your arrival. He seemed to be in a hurry to deliver such an important message." Axel rolled his eyes while Demyx sighed. So it wasn't the Freeshooter.. he wasn't back like them. He wondered if anyone of the others were back... or was he and Axel alone in this? Axel raised a red eyebrow. This guy sounded familar, where had he'd come across him? Ah, the Forgotten windy dude back in Traverse Town's secret caverns. "I see. Well.. seen we're here, what do you want us to do? Ya know... help out your world and stuff." Axel said, gesturing his hand in a rolling manner. The Emperor raised a hand to stroke through his long white beard. "Hmm... my kingdom has been wondering about the avalanche that came down the mountain side eariler today and the explosion that came before it. We would ask of you to go up there and investigate. The last thing we want is to awaken the sleeping Mountain Dragon from its slumber." Demyx blinked. "Did you just say... Dragon?! As in, a real live dragon?!" The Emperor nodded. "One of a few still in existance... but five years ago, one of our dragons was corrupted and turned into what a few friends call... a Heartless. We do not want a repeat from that now. Your assignment is to protect the slumbering Mountain Dragon." Both boys nodded deeply, taking it serious. The wise old man smiled back. "I have great confidence in both of you. Now, a servant will show you to your rooms for the night. You will be given supplies in the morning. Help yourselves to anything you wish to eat." Both men nodded and bowed in respect, before being led to their rooms.

"Axel... you gonna eat that?" "..." "Is that a yes?" Axel picked up the eggroll on the plate with his chopsticks, dunking it a few times in soy sauce and casually devouring it bit by bit. "Yeah." They sat in a small room, with low tables on the floor that required no chairs. So they sat crossed legged on silky blue pillows and eating off of serveral plates containing the delicious looking food they had ever seen ever since their journey began from Twilight Town. Axel snatched his bowl of fried rice, shoving as much as he could in one mouthful, chew then swallowing then repeat. Demyx snatched a shrimp off some lo mein, enjoying the sweet flavor before taking his chopsticks and pulling up a small portion of lo mein noodles, slurping them down. "Man, I don't remember having a hot meal like this... this is way better than Xaldin's cooking!" Axel said while he picked up some orange chicken, and dabbed a spoon of sweet and sour sauce on it then popping it in his mouth. "You ain't kidding! We could live like kings here!" Axel merely shrugged, enjoying a sip of the hot green tea that came with all this food. "True, but we're just guests here. Our job as it seems is make-shift keyblader without the keyblade." Demyx smiled and simply went for some sweet and sour pork, then dived into General Tao's chicken and sesame beef. "Well, anyways... this food is getting cold. Axel you should eat more. Last thing I want to see is you frozen stiff and no fire because you have a empty tummy." Axel glanced at him, with a look that appeared 'Say wha?' Was he the anorexic everyone seemed to believe the pyro was? "Gimme that!" He said and snatched a bowl of spicy beef nuggets in a honey glaze sauce and devoured everyone till the bowl was gone.

Demyx blinked in disbelief. "Whoa... so you're not anorexic like everyone says you are? You're not bulimic are you?" Axel rolled his eyes and snatched a bowl of lo mein. "Hell no! I'm not either one. I have a high metabolism and unfortunately it feeds into my fire power so ever chance I get to eat, I stuff my face. Why!? Because my fire powers eats away my energy levels. Didn't Xemnas tell you that certain elements will actually eat you alive if you use them to much?" Demyx blinked, then slowly shook his head. "No.. he never said that. I don't think Water was on that catagory. So... I guess there was no reason to explain that to me." Axel sighed, sipped the remaining contents of hot tea before getting up. "I'm done for the night, going to get some sleep now. See you in the morning. First light okay? We need as much daylight as possible. No chance Bombergirl is gonna stay any longer than tomorrow... so we better hurry." Demyx merely watched him slowly leave the room to their guest room next door. He frowned and glanced at the food, and nibbled on whatever was lefted before he too lefted in silence to his bed.

- - - - - - -

Snow crunched under Axel's boot, fresh from the night before. The two men had lefted the city just as the first signs of light loomed over the tips of the mountains. Their supplies consisted of two water canteens, a packed lunch, one rolled up wooly yellow blanket and a few good luck coins. So much for a reliable supply pack. The track up was more difficult than the last, forcing the nobodies to stop often and take breathers. It was at one of these five minute breaks that Demyx dared asked a question. "Hey Axel?" "Hmm?" "Can I ask a question?" The pyro nodded. "Shoot for it." "He... was here... wasn't he?" Axel sighed and stared out at the scenery. "You talking about the keyblader or..." "Xiggy..." Demyx's nickname for Xigbar. He and the man were good friends on regular terms. Nothing serious, just that Xigbar seemed to of once had a fatherly aura over him as a Somebody and it rubbed onto him as a Nobody, often giving advice to Demyx and Roxas in a fatherly aditude. Axel merely shook his head slowly and sighed. "Yea Dems.. he _was_ here. But he didn't die here... not likely of him to fall that quickly... " Demyx frowned deeply and sighed harder than Axel, steam coming from his breath into the chilled air. "What?" Axel glanced up and stared at Demyx. The blonde looked up at Axel, a fake sorrowful expression on his face. "It's just that... he wasn't mean to me. He didn't treat me like I was worthless... and actually was willing to spar with me a couple times. He made me 'feel' like a real person, ya know? Like how.. you know who made you 'feel' real." Axel nodded slowly, understanding Demyx's point of veiw. In truth, Xigbar was just as cold-'hearted' as the rest of the Organization... but it would seem the closer and closer their fated doomsdays were, the more softer they became. Prehaps it was a finally resort to try to avoid being swallowed up by Darkness and spared? Who knew...

After the break they continued up the mountain, but not before spotting a thick gray cloud approuching. "Come on Demyx! We gotta reach a safe level before that storms us in!" Axel barked over his shoulder to Demyx who was strugging to climb over a rock. "I'm hurrying! I'm hurrying, slow down Axel, I'm not as fast as you!" Axel merely rolled his eyes, waiting a moment before reaching up to grasp at a blackish gray roch jutting out. He pulled upwards, then side-stepped to the right. The rocks were semi-slick and a few pebbles came looses, falling down below to the ground far far below the men's feet. Demyx merely gulped as he attempted to catch up but his skin slowly started to dimple out. His chin trembled and teeth chattered. "Axel! I need to stop... I'm getting cold!" He begged up to his partner, but when Axel did not respond, Demyx had to force himself to follow. If he were to get any colder, he wouldn't get frost bite... he would turn to solid ice. Literally. He nearly didso when aiding Vexen with experiments and only by soaking in a warm bath did Demyx return to his normal state. Water and very cold temperatures... don't get along very well. "Axel, please!" "We can't stop now! Keep up!" Axel only barked back, trying his best to get as high as possible to avoid the oncoming snow storm that could be seen coming into the distance. Demyx moved a hand, his fingers curling around a place to latch onto the rock and felt the pain of stiff fingers. He knew it was starting, but said nothing in protest nor begged Axel again and silently continued behind trusted Axel.

Three hours later, winds howled ferociously, kicking up clinging snow off the mountainside while pouring down thick pellets of the white ice down. Axel and Demyx were forced to place their white hoods on to protect their faces, though the snow still managed to sneak within then, dripping down their backs inside. Axel's unnatural body temperature made the flakes turn to water and then to luke warm liquid. His determination pushed him onward, even if snow covered his red eyebrows. Breathing was slightly difficult as with each breath you would get a lungful of snow, only to gag and breath through their cloaks' sleeves or the inside of the hood on the round of the shoulder to keep their breaths warm. They were so close to their goal. Axel could detect the energy ontop the mountains, and forced his already fatigued body to climb more. Just a little more, he urged himself. Just a little more. He summoned up more heat in his core, sencing it flow into his hands and feet, returning them from the realm of numb. "Come on... just... just a bit more." He ushered himself under his breath as he bent his head down so his hood's opening would not get another mouthful of snow. He stopped to turn around to make sure Demyx was close behind. Just in case. But as the pyro turned around... there was Demyx... almost a hundred yards below him, huddled down in a spot under a dead large shrubbery as if it were a good means to shield himself from the monsterous winds and biting snow. "Demyx!" Axel shouted but his voice was carried with the wind. "DEMYX!" Still no response from the hydro. Something was wrong. "DEMYX! COME ON! DON'T STOP NOW, WE'RE NEARLY THERE!" He screamed back. Still, the white lump that was Demyx's white cloak did not stir. With a hard groan, Axel turned around and made his way back to Demyx. The pyro managed to return to Demyx's side, never once saw the younger Nobody move. "Demyx..." He said as he knealt. "We have to continue." "I...ca-ca-can't... m-m-mh-move." Demyx's teeth chattered madly under his hood. Axel lifted the other's hood, using his back to shield Demyx from the onslaught of flying snow. What he saw shocked him for once.

Demyx's face was a light blue, and ice crystals had formed on his nose, lips, eyebrows, and a few were starting in the corners of his eyes. He could barely close his eyes to protect them. When Axel went to grasp Dem's hand, he nearly lost his 'cool'. It was stiff, hard like stone. Bitting his lip, Axel managed to summon a little fire and consentrated on transferring it to Demyx's hands and legs. "We've got to get you out of here!" Helping Demyx up, the other haunched over, returning the hood over his head. Axel's emerald eyes flashed everywhere looking for a way to escape the elements or else he was going to lose Demy. Everything looked the same... it was hard to tell where the sky and land was with so much snow, wind, and low clouds. Day had before night-like. Poor Axel was about to give up when he noted the side of the cliff they were on. A section of the rock grooves started to curl inward... into a pile of snow next to them. That could mean one thing... Holding his hand out quickly, Axel fired a blast of fire, quick to melt the snow in front of them before the winds blew the fire right in their faces. The snow blasted away, reveiling the enterance to a small cave. "Demyx, come on!" He urged the blonde and the two slowly edged into the cave. Inside it was cold, but not as bad as the outside. The small room was dry to the bone, perfect for the two nobodies. But sadly the ceiling clearance was just enough to hunch over greatly and walk in, or crawl on their hands and knees which Demyx was in no position to be able to. Once inside, Axel aided Demyx down and leaned up against the cave wall while Axel returned to the enterance. With his wet-soaked gloved hands, he scooped up the snow until he plugged up the enterance, sealing out the cold and wind. He then turned around and on his hands and knees, crawled back to Demyx's side. "Demyx... how are you?" He whispered in the darkness. "Ca...ca... cold. So cold.." Axel blinked and held his lefted hand out, summoning a flame for illumination.

With his right hand, he examined Demyx's condition. His skin was hard as leather, and his breathing was hard and labored, having difficulty moving his chest. Axel removed one of Demyx's gloves and rolled his thumb over the veins that stuck out. As he slowly and lightly did, he swore under his breath as he felt the tiny ice crystals flowing in his blood. This was bad indeed, since Demyx was one with his element, he would suffer as would water would to certain conditions. Turning to ice was one of them. "Demyx.. give me the pack." Axel commanded, and the blonde painfully removed the pack behind him. Once removed, Axel pulled out the packed food, luck coins, and blanket. Once the contents was dumped, which was difficult with one hand, Axel set the pack in front of them and dropped the fireball on top of it, setting it ablaze. "There.. that should keep this place warm until the storm clears, kay? Demy?" Demyx leaned against the cavern wall, his eyes closed and body still. "Demyx!" Axel shouted, waking the boy, though woken slowly and painfully. Taking the blanket, he wrapped it around Demyx and removed the hydro's other glove and boots, moving him closer towards the fire. "Bu-but Axel.. won't the fire die out?" Axel smirked as he sat close to Demyx. "Nah, this is speical Axel-made fire. Won't go out until I tell it to and it won't smoke up the place and choke us out. Just rest a while Demyx. You need it." "Axel.." "Hmm?" "I'm still cold..."

Axel shifted over, wrapping his left arm over Demyx and pulled him close. "Hold out your hands." He whispered. Demyx did and Axel's hands came together with the others, making Demyx cup his hands. Moving his right hand away, the pyro summoned another flame, no bigger than a baseball. "Be very still." "But.. Axel... won't I get burned!? You control Fire, I control Water... it's not gonna work." "Oh hush ya big baby..." Axel teased slightly before holding Demyx's cupped hands and gently rolled the fireball into the other's hands. Amazing Demyx did not burn, but the heat was instantly warming up his hands. He watched in amazment at the little fireball as it danced about. He smiled finally and glance up at Axel. "Thank you... I thought for a moment you were gonna leave me behind." "And leave my best buddy to turn into a frozen Vexen cube? I think not, got it memorized?" Demyx nodded and leaned against Axel's shoulder, watching the flames flicker. "How long... do you think this hero thing's going to last?" Demyx whispered. "I dunno..." "Will we go back to the Darkness?" "I dunno..." "Do you think we might get the chance at getting our hearts back?" Axel remained silent, his eyes to locked on the flames consuming the pack. "I can only imagine..." Was his answer. Demyx smiled slight then yawned. "Sleepy?" "Just a bit..." Axel looked at the fire, then around the cavern. Not exactly any spot would be comfy enough for poor Demyx. "You can sleep on my lap if you want. I don't mind... I'll keep ya warm though. Always good to be in the company of a pyro in winter." He said with a grin. Demyx slid down, resting the side of his head on Axel's lap. "Thank you Axel... for saving me so many times... and for the friendship... existant or not... it's something to hold onto." Axel hummed in agreement, watching Demyx slowly fall to sleep. Axel remained awake, to keep watch of both the fires, and in case the storm led up. Demyx's fire rolled from his hand to join the other flames. Pulling the boy closer, Axel made himself comfortable against the wall of the cave, as a free hand carefully pulled the blanket up to Demyx's neck and placed the hood over his head to conserve heat. "Sleep well Demyx."

An hour had passed and still the storm did not let up. Axel could only imagine what that bomber girl Lilix of the Dark Organization was up too. Was she hiding the storm out, or did she return to a dark portal and would wait it out? He sighed and returned his attention down to Demyx, deeply asleep in his grasp. The boy looked so innocent in his sleep, so peaceful.. it was hard to imagine him, like Axel... a cold, ruthless fighter like him. Softly, Axel's fingers curled over and touched Demyx's jaw, pushing his head to face up at the ceiling. Still, he did not stirred, but slept away. The pyro stared down at the sleeping figure in his lap, that looked up to him for just about everything. He took noticed that Demyx's lips were dark pink... still in effect from the cold and would take a while to warm up. No problem... Axel was here to aid.. But then again... it was Demyx's lips... not his hands or feet. Still.. Axel couldn't break his gaze away from that innocent sleeping image. Before his mind could register what was going on... he started to lean in forward, his eyes slowly sealing close softly. His own lips trembled slightly as he inched closer and closer and...

SNAP!

His eyes snapped wide and recoiled away quickly, surprised his quick movements did not wake the blonde. Demyx merely mumbled in his sleep and snuggled onto his hand that he brought up to server as a makeshift pillow. Axel, gulped, what had just happened? He... was about to ... kiss his friend? Not that Axel had any problem with the human trait, it was a way to bond... and usually a form of love. But he was a Nobody and Demyx... was a guy. Shouldn't guys kiss girls? Was it alright to kiss a guy if the kisser was a guy? Axel shook his head, placing a hand to his forehead. Whatever possessed his mind and body to try that move... better leave that instant. It was wrong... wrong to kiss a guy affectionately! First off, they were Nobodies and as such had no emotional feelings and second... even if they weren't, showing affection to another man was not exactly smiled upon in socality. He bit his lip, thinking all this over. What if he did kiss Demyx? Would Demyx share the same idea as him, and return back this 'affection'? Or would the blonde freak out, thinking Axel had finally gone insane. For now, the pryo denied his actions, shoving them far in the back of his memories in hopes they would be casted away. Instead, he leaned over Demyx's body, listening to his breathing in his sleep, so that he too could sleep, while at the same time provide Demyx with the warmth he needed to return to health. Snuggling into a spot he could fall asleep in, Axel curled his hands over a handful of blanket as his eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

"Sweet dreams Demy..." Axel whispered to himself and slumbering Demyx before falling into the realm of sleep himself.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Lilix belongs to her respectful owner

Very long and detailed paragraphs are to be expected.

Warnings: slight language, slight blood

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There was a certain silence when Demyx broke out of his sleep. Groggy and disoriented, it took him awhile to register his sences. His nose detected something along the line of smoke and something that was recently cooked; a food like substance. He shifted uneasily, finding the surface he laid on was hard and solid. Moving his eyes under his eyelids, he opened them slightly to break from the remants of slumber. Slowly, he picked his head up, observing that he was in a small cave. The yellow blanket was still covering him, keeping him warm. Strange... wasn't he sleeping on Axel? He checked the fire, noticing that the flames had died to mere glowing embers, still supporting enough warmth to keep a small piece of food set aside for him. It was a rice ball wrapped in bamboo leaves with a small piece of pre-cooked chicken in the center. It gave off the faint scent of being warmed up for consumption. Slowly, Demyyx reached out for it, and picked himself up so he may eat. The food was a welcoming feel in his stomach, which ached horribly. Chewing a bite of rice, Demyx looked around for Axel. It didn't take long to discover where the pyro was. He was outside the cave, the sun glowing brightly on the fresh snow and his cloak, making them shine. His back was to the cave's enterance, and it seemed he too was eating breakfast in peace. 

Demyx watched him for a long minute before returning to his breakfast, taking his time. It would seemed they slept through the whole storm and into the morning. Strange, neither had slept that long before. He flexed his hands, smiling to find them back to normal. In fact, he was as if he had never frozed over before. Finishing his small portion of food, he crawled out towards the enterance. Sticking his head out like a gopher, he said with a smile. "Morning Axel." The pyro jumped slightly, turning to look over his shoulder at the younger nobody. "You're... you're doing alright?" He said in a low voice, while staring back at Demyx. "Yup! Thanks to you... I'm much better now. So... how come you're eating out here Axel?" Axel turned back to face the rest of the mountain ridge, his eyebrows knitting together, deep in thought. "I've been thinking..." "Of what?" "Just... thinking. Nothing worth focusing on, just... letting my mind wander off while I waited for you to recover." Demyx nodded and crawled into the snow and sat next to Axel. "Did you... make breakfast?" Axel nodded. "Fire had to be put out soon though... we need to leave within the hour. I've been watching her." Blinking, Demyx looked all around the mountainside. "Bombergirl?" "Who else?" "Where is she?" Axel shrugged. " I dunno, she keeps portal hopping from mountain to mountain... looking for something... something big." "How big?" Axel turned his head to the side, giving Demyx a hard stare. "BIG..." Demyx said nothing, finally understanding. The Darks wish to disturbed another dragon of this world.. no chance in stealing Xemnas's old idea of turning it into a Heartless after annoying the crap out of it till it gave in to Darkness. The two men fell silent for a few minutes, Axel slowly munching on the last bits of his riceball. Back to deep in thought... and just exactly what the pyro was thinking? What else... but that moment from last night.

Yes, Axel had been sitting in the snow for two hours, thinking of nothing but that moment with him and Demyx sleeping in his arms. He had been for those two hours, trying to come up with a logical explantation as to why he was about to do what he was about to do. But nothing seemed to of made sence to the nobody, and many theories had resurfaced time and time again, sending him into a wave of confusion. But enough of thinking about that one moment. Axel finally mentally desided the following: It was cold, there was a ice storm and Demyx was near-close to death... and Axel just got to soft, allowing nonexistant pity to flow in and aid the younger nobody... or because the pyro, in honesty, refused to be alone in this journey. He needed the companionship, with someone familar that he could stand and Demyx just happened to be his party member. Still, the fire elemental couldn't help but wonder what really DID go on in his mind to make such a odd impulse on the blonde? He sighed, and snapped out of this ponderous deep thought. "We gotta go... grab your gloves and socks n' boots, we're leaving. Can't take the blanket with us, no pack to place it in, eh heh." Axel was gonna miss that blanket... it did serve it's purpose and he actually liked the design of a red phoneix encircling a Chinese symbol while koi danced about in the corners. Oh well... maybe as soon as their ablilites to portal correctly again, he'll return to this spot and retreive it, if it's still intact, and make it the first in his personal collection of things once more. He frowned slightly, but stood up and swatted away at the snow that clung to his white cloak, amazed that he could tell where it was. The issue of the cloaks white like the Light Organization's still puzzled him, but he ensured himself that answer would come soon enough.

Demyx crawled back out from the cave, his gloves and boots back on. "Now what? Where do we continue from here?" He asked. Axel shrugged and handed Demyx one of the two coins that came with the pack. "For Luck... I guess." He said, before starting to continue onward once more, Demyx following close behind. "Dem... lower your aura... I think she's noticed us." Axel suddenly whispered behind his shoulder to the other, who nodded and began to lower his energy signature with his thoughts, hiding away the energy that made them nobodies, and was a red-flag to any others in the area. Slowly, they made their way up the side of the ever challenging mountain rock. When they finally made it to the top of a well flatten area, Axel gazed around. "I don't see her... Can you seek her out Dems?" Demyx scanned his eyes around, looking for movement, sencing out for the aura of a dark, evil metal wielder. "No... I don't sence her energy.. she could be too far away." "Or she's portaling... and that's why we can't pick her up." Axel concluded, as he started to trudge through the snow, making a path. "Careful Demyx, this is all fresh snow overnight, might be hiding something nasty so follow my footsteps." "Kay!" Demyx stepped down into the hole from Axel's foot once was a second ago. "Hey, at least there's one good thing about these new cloaks." Axel glanced over his shoulder once more. "What's that?" A big grin appeared on the hydro's face. "We blend in really good!" Axel turned back to forward and stared away. Yes, he was right... they DID blend in well with the snow. "Put your hood on... our hair's gonna be beacons if she hasn't seen us already." The pyro instructed before placing the hood over his own fire red hair.

Pacing back and forth furiously, Lilix pounded her boots deep into the snow, her silver eyes glaring down at her feet. "Where is that over-grown lizard anyways!? Xariaha said it would be easy, but noooo... have him try to find a mountain dragon in the middle of NOWHERE! GRAH!" She nearly lost it and screamed, but instead kicked the snow instead. It was then she noticed something about the rock below her feet, and tapped at it with the tip of her metal tipped boot. A wicked grin appeared before the girl's lips and fell to her knees, digging away at the snow. Soon her fingers felt stone and she brushed away as much snow as possible until she had unearthed a brass square containing a chinese symbol. The symbol for Mountain Dragon. "Ah, so this hill is where big and ugly sleeps inside eh? Perfect. And now for a little wake up call." She placed her left hand deep into her cloak pocket, pulling out three silver sphere bombs. A evil chuckle erupted from deep in her throat as she glanced up towards the surrounding scenery. "Hmm... why make a rush? I bet, with enough bombs, I can set this whole place come tumbling down and bury that imperial city and anything close by forever!" Slight wind blew through that silver hair, silver eyes flashing down the side towards the tiny dot that was the imperial city. "Think again!" She blinked and frozed, her eyes turning to attempt to look behind her without turning her head without much luck. Before she could draw out a bomb sphere, a firey blast sent her leaping to the side and facing her enemies with a dark glare. "You two again!?"

Axel and Demyx smirked together, each holding their weapons. "What? Who were you expecting? Mickey Mouse?" Axel sarcastically remarked. Ripping out from their sheaths belted to each boot, Lilix drew out her black and silver accented sais, twirling them once before holding them, blades pointing towards her and pressed nicely against her arms. "I dunno... maybe. I rather fight him, than a clown like you. I was begining to wonder how you two faired the storm... but why should I care? You'll both be dead before you can even save this world. So why not give up now and I'll.. if I want... humanly take you out of your nonexistant misery..." Axel snorted at the comment. "I rather die fighting." "Then so be it!" Lilix shouted before leaping forward, black sais clashing against chakrams. Steel and metal created bright sparks in the frigid air, as the two once more combatted against each other. "No tricks with that stupid power of yours! Fair fight!" Axel barked, swinging one weapon at Lilix's head, just as the girl ducked and kicked Axel right in his most treasured posession. "DO-WAH!!! OWWW! YOU LITTLE DAMN THING YOU!" Axel screamed, hunched over and holding onto his goods. Demyx quickly jumped in, summoning forth a water blast with the melody of his sitar. The pillar of water splashed hard against the Dark nobody, knocking her a few feet back, slidding through the snow. Staggering up, she growled and waved her right sai forward. The ground trembled slightly, then at once bursting through the snow were tiny pellets of metals taken from the mountain, forming and bonding together until it became a metal spear, aiming for Demyx's head at high speeds.

But the spear never reached its target, as Axel's chakrams crissed-crossed and locked together, holding the spear at bay. "Dem MOVE!" Axel commanded and Demyx was quick to dodge away once Axel let go and bent his back as if in a limbo party as the spear flew into the snow. Regaining his balance, blood flushed in Axel's skin over his face. Dropping each chakram, he charged straight for Lilix. She didn't have enough time to hold up her sais as the pryo slammed into her body, and the two were sent tumbling over the side of the mountain, punching and kicking each other like school yard children. Once they landed at the bottom of a cliff face, jutting out like a arm out of the mountain, Axel found himself on top of Lilix and his hands... in a awkward area. "You have two seconds to get your HANDS OFF MY CHEST!" Lilix screamed. Axel rolled his eyes. "What is it with you girls? Psst, Larxene didn't have a problem with it... she actually said as long as there was clothes on and..." "WELL I'M NOT A SADISTIC SPARKPLUG!!" Another kick to the manly crotch. Axel's eyes watered and he tried not to hollar up a storm. Slam! A thrid kick, and he hissed through his teeth in pain. "Trying to hold up your dignity?! YOU HAVE NONE!" And a finally kick to the nuts sent Axel in a howl of a fit. "OOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!!" His cry echoed over the mountains as he rolled off Lilix and she scrambled up. Demyx was just about to slid down the mountainside to join Axel when all three nobodies froze when they heard a loud bellowing roar. The hydro finally slid down the side down to Axel, who was nursing a bloody lip, and Lilix below who have seemed to be mesmorized by the roar from within the mountainside. "Axel... what was that?" Demyx asked as he stood next to him. The pyro merely shook his head, emerald eyes scanning the mountainscape. It would seem the only sound emitting in the air... was the slight soft lull of the wind. Or so they thought.

Suddenly the mountain rock shook, as the three nobodies tried to keep their balance. The cliff arm they were standing on grew hot and snow started to melt. Before they could react, the arm reveiled to be a hidden enterance covered in snow, and a pole of fire exploded foward like a rifle. Demyx fell to his knees with a yelp, and watched as a snake-like body emerged from the tunnel enterance at a fast speed. Bronze scales gleamed in the sunlight along with tanish underskin and a white fluffy beard and flocks. Silver horns shined and piercing blue eyes stared back at the three before the head reared up and roared in protest for being disturbed of its slumber. "Axel! It's the Mountain Dragon!!" Demyx cried out amongst the roars. "I know! I know! Quick before it turns Heartless on us!" The pyro quickly summoned his chakrams, ready for one heck of a fight. But before he went ahead and attacked the dragon, a sharp jab struck him square in the stomach. "DOHH!" He recoiled back, dropping his weapons and holding his stomach after Lilix did a nice punch. "Back off rejects, it's MINE!" She ran down the mountain slope, pulling out from the ground any raw metals to form tiny pellets and firing them at the monsterous beast. The dragon roared as the pellets, though small enough not to injure it, slapped against it's body like pesky mosquitoes. It attacked with full force, slaming it's thick tail against the mountain rock causing it to quake. Snow fell off in great sheets as Axel and Demyx ran for safer and sterdier ground.

Picking up his chakrams, Axel allowed them to catch on fire, spining in his hands before chucking them at dragon. They orbited the bearded dragon's head, taunting it to attack. It snapped its jaws at one, nearly catching it. "Axel! You're making it more angrier! We want to save it, not encourage it to become a heartless!" Demyx barked. The pyro rolled his eyes and ran towards a ledge, leaping in the air to catch his fire wheels. With a perfect backflip, he landed behind Lilix and promptly kicked her to the ground. "No one slugs me in the stomach and gets away with it!" Chakrams collided with black sai as the two nobodies went once again into a heated battle. The bomber girl was quick on her feet, landing a nice blow to Axel's shoulder, slicing off white fabric and then skin. Axel cried out, but swung around and jabbing one of the chakram spikes into Lilix's shoulder. Hissing under the pain, she summoned her power over metal and... pulled Axel's pull chains around his neck, choking him. He dropped his weapons as his hands reached for this throat, fingers digging in to desperately release the chain's hold. He gagged and choked, his face turning a light shade of blue. "And just a little tighter... and then... SNAP! You're head comes off!" Lilix taunted in a laugh. But it didn't last long.

"HYDRO CANNON!" Lilix was knocked off her feet by a surge of high speed water, the chains releasing on Axel's throat and he gasped in oxygen down his lungs. Demyx ran to his side, glancing down to see if Axel was okay before chasing after the well soaked Lilix. She growled, pulling out one of her bombs. "CATCH!" Demyx smirked and played a high pitch chord. Suddenly a tendril of water errupted from the ground, smacking the bomb sphere away. However, once it made contact with the ground at the side, it exploded, sending snow and pebbles into the air... only adding more anger to the great Mountain Dragon. "Demyx you idiot!" Axel shouted, nearly swiping his chakram at the hydro's head. The blonde ducked. "Gee Axel! I'm just trying to help!" Suddenly, Lilix ran full head at the boys, sai in each hand as she was ready to swipe at them. All the while, they were dodging the attacks from the Chinese Dragon throwing rocks from the mountainside and breathing out fire balls. Between it and Lilix, Axel was ready for performing his kamakazi fire explosion again. He ran, sliding a few times in the snow to avoid the fireballs raining down on him. "Get ready for a nice double wammy from the FLURRY OF DANCING FLAMES!" He shouted, and leaped with all his energy into the air, and landed on top of the dragon's back. The great creature bucked and twisted about, roaring in protest as Axle held on tight. "Come on! Be a good dragon and stop this!" He tried reasoning with it, but to no avail... only aiding in having the beast go for a dive bomb on Lilix and Demyx. He grabbed onto the horns, trying to pull up. "WHOA BIG BOY! Go up! Go up!" But it would seem too late to pull late and the pyro could only brace himself for impact.

But suddenly, he felt no movement, as if standing still. He slowly opened his eyes, and indeed the dragon had stopped in mid-flight. In addition to the soft wind blowing, he heard a very sweet and gentle melody playing. Glancing off to the side, he was amazed at Demyx standing there, playing his sitar while the great dragon watched him, as if in a trance. In truth, Demyx was playing a luluby in hopes it would lull the dragon back into a peaceful mood and return to it's lair to slumber in peace once again. "That's right... let the music calm you big guy... you're just cranky... that's a good dragon.. go to beddy-bai time now. There we go... dragon sleept time. The music soothes the soul..." Demyx whispered under his breath. Axel on the other hand, managed to leap off the dragon and land on all fours in the snow. The great dragon yawned loud enough to rumble a few pebbles. When he turned around, his emerald eyes watched in silence as Demyx swayed back and forth, rocking almost, and the dragon's eyes grew heavier by the minute. It released another yawn before it looked about, smacking its jaws, getting ready for another snooze. It soon went up into the air, back flipped a few times before flying straight into the mouth of the cave from wince it had emerged from. Imediately, Axel fired a small fireball, caused snow and rock to fall and seal the enterance. He smirked at Demyx before returning back on his focus to Lilix. But his eyes managed to catch her running into a Dark portal, escaping to live another day. "Darn... oh well... we'll catch up to her again." Demyx continued playing, just in case the dragon was still listening to the song from underground. "Yea... those Darks sure like to pop in for trouble then leave without finishing the fight, or chicken out. You'd think they were trying to prove something through aggression?" Axel shrugged. "Who knows.. but all I know now is that big fireball is sleeping back to normal. We should return to the palace and say that there's no threat anymore." Demyx nodded and ended the peaceful lulluby.

Axel and Demyx stood side by side in front of the Emperor straight up. Their faces held a smirk of completion. "Well done, now our lands and its people can breath a sigh of relief. Thanks to you, our dragons will be safe once again. For such an honorable and brave task, you may request anything you wish." The wise man said in his greatest of wisdom. Axel and Demyx eyed one another, knowing exactly what was on the other's mind. "If it's alright, mind if we have another grand meal? The traveling food came in handle, but he kinda ran before we could come back down." Demyx replied, with a large smile on his face. A gentle, old smile risen on the old man's lips as he nodded. "Of course, no man should continue his journey without some food to fill him till the next hurdle to climb." He then turned to Axel. "And what of you? What is it that you request?" Axel thought it over. He could of asked for another one of those golden blankets with firebirds and koi fish all over it. But instead he glanced back up from the tiled floor and replied in a humble way. "I would like to know of the person whom told you about us. You said he carried a scythe with him. Did he by chance, tell you of anything else?" The Emperor sighed, gazing off into the distance before glancing back at Axel. "He did say of a prophecy... 'When the Lights of hope reach Heaven's iron gates, and salvation restored by blood, a great battle will rise, and a side of Twilight will come into play. Then shall fall all sides, and the alter of Death standing before a fated tower, waiting for the moon's thirst to drink up from the aura of a heart's immense power. Then shall Light and Darkness decide on the fate of the doomed, and bring out ultimate peace... or oblivion.' That was what he lefted behind, saying only to repeat those words to any who asked speifically of him." Axel bowed slightly, memorizing the riddle, one to add to a growing collecting in his mind. So many puzzles, so little time. "Thank you sir. I'm sure it'll come in handle. We'll be needing to leave soon though, other places need our help." Demyx nodded, and the Emperor laughed. "Indeed, now before you run off again, I'll prepare the chefs to serve you a meal in your honor." Axel and Demyx both bowed before leaving the room to go enjoy those delicious foods again.

For the next time Axel and Demyx would go to another world, it would test the values of friendship... and their stomachs with the spirits of the dead...


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

All fan characters belong to their respectful owners, Hexlar and Malvorlex belong to me.

Very long and detailed paragraphs are to be expected.

Warnings: slight language

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Castle Hope That Is Soon To Be. It was a brilliantly looking structure, nestled on a small island far off in the faint distance of Destiny Islands. No one knew how the castle came to be, it just appeared one day, white as the Light it served. But the thing is... Castle Hope That Is Soon To Be was an exact replica of The Castle That Never Was in the nobody world The World That Never Was. Except for not floating in the sky like it's dark counterpart, this castle was whiter than the original and fake. Yes, fake... the castle was created out of illusions made solid. But that was more than enough for the occupants dwelling within it's walls. Instead of the dreaded Organization XIII nobody symbol covering the castle like chicken pox, long scroll banners wavered in the air, reveiling a much more magestic symbol. It almost looked like the old nobody symbol, but with a crown in the center,and the top spike a bird's head while the side spikes were wings outstretched. A symbol of hope and peace, the symbol... for the Light Organization.

Superior Xtutela rested against the back of his throne, looking down at his fellow ranks, each one sitted on a throne of white marble. He was the complete opposite of what a nobody was veiwed as, evil and cold. Xtutela was kind and warm, as much as he could attempt being a nobody. But regardless of this fact, not even his own followers could tell if he was trully one of them or something more. He was wise, strong and powerful with a deep respect for those around them and always had a twinkle of hope in his almost white eyes. Now Xtutela was not blind, but was such a high ranking nonexistant of the Light, that it almost embodied him. His hair was a tuffed up spikey style, a light smokey colored gray and white, his eyes white with faint gray pupils. He was not old either, quite a young and vigorous man, but his appearance also aidded in luring his enemies into thinking he was a feebled old man. When he smiled, not even Darkness could withstand such raidence. He wanted the best for his members and his members looked up to him like a father figure. He provided the Light nobodies a home, and a place to belong. Their ways were kind and gentle ways, seeking to help others both nobody and hearted beings in the belief that this show of extreme kindness would cause Kingdom Hearts to return their hearts back.

But there was just one problem. Kingdom Hearts was under the control of the Dark Organization, who invaded The Castle That Never Was, tainting it with more evil than the original owners and thus turned a deadly black. Even so, the Lights would visit the dreary world time and time again to attack against their dark foes, but usually came home sooner. The Darks also took control of all the lesser nobodies, thus making them all more powerful. Often these horrid creatures were used against the fighting Lights, outnumbering them and always sent them running. And each time, it 'disappointed' Xtutela, with each lose, the Darks advanced one step closer to their ultimate of universal conquest. But with each lost, instead of putting his followers down, he instead encouraged them to get up and try again. He still had a tiny fragment of hope lefted in his kind soul, and making the use of it towards their goal for multi-world peace. Parting away a lock of hair he sighed contently with that unchangeable smile. He gazed down at his members, most were hiding their faces behind their white cloak hoods. A few had theirs down, reveiling their features. One of them still nursing cuts on his hand.

"Hexlar, leave it alone, the skin will heal over soon enough. You and number twelve's spars are getting a bit to roughly to be considered friendly spars. Something on your mind?" The Superior spoke. The Lunar weilder glanced up with his cat pupiled orange eyes at his Superior. "I'm afraid so Superior..." "Mind sharing it with us? It could put all of us at ease if we know what's troubling you. The last thing we need is to have one of our most strong and proud members to fall before the great storm." Hexlar adverted his eyes down to the floor, away from his Superior. He sighed slightly and rubbed his temple with his uninjured hand. "It's... _them_. I've sensed it for sometime. They've close, but do not appear. It's as if they're waiting for something. But the more they linger.. the more the Darks have an opportunity to force them into battle and get this war in so much heat." Xtutela nodded. "Yes, I'm 'afraid' there is nothing I can do about the Neutrals taking in 'delight' in watching our performance plummet downward. Still... whatever the case, as long as they do not partake in the war, I am content to their gazings. But soon Dark Superior Xariaha will grow weary and impatient, thus using a stategy to lure the Neutrals out of hiding. We will have to improve our strenghts if we want to see a positive outcome." All the Lights nodded silently, Hexlar still with the urge to tend to his cut hand, but kept his movements at bay. Licking cuts like a wounded dog was embarrasing, even by nobody standards.

Xtutela then turned to his other members, gazinng down at each and every one. "I see something is also bothering you too, V?" In the fifth ranked throne, sat a disgruntled young man wearing a black cloak instead of a white one, representing a darkness that still lurked within him, even though he served for the Light. "I... can not say. For the news might be ill-fated on your ears and the others." Second in command Mirax rolled her eyes and leaned over the side of her throne, staring down at him. "Zelixar, come now. We're all in this together... don't let something you hold back be our downfall." Zelixar glanced up at her, most of his wild silver hair hiding one eye as he watched everything through the other one. "What do the rest of you think?" He asked the rest of the circle. "If it's important enough, I want to hear it..." Spoke up Rhuxa, the sixth rank. His ruffled brownish hair and freckles indicated he was quite country bumpkin type. "So do I." Answered the twelveth rank below, his hood hiding his face. "Here." Ledax, eleventh rank said, raising her hand slightly, 'nervous' almost at her answer and played with a lock of flowing aqua blue hair. "It would seem the verdict is all towards wanting to know the answer. Zelixar... nothing can possibly deter us away from our goal?" Diaixil, their thrid rank spoke up in a soft voice, while holding onto his white ivory scythe, cleaning the blade and metal rose petals decorated on the handle. Xtutela said nothing but nodded in agreement with the others.

With a heavy sigh, Zelixar sat up and spoke in a dead tone. "The ones brought back... Axel and Demyx of the Thirteenth Order... When they were summoned back by a mysterious source, something happened... Something.. broke apart." "Their spirits?" Xtutela whispered. Zelixar shook his head. "I can not tell.. but something of evil terms, meaning to destroy all in their path, starting with the summoned ones. Should they meet, it could be serious... and unavoidably fatal. We must keep them away from Axel and Demyx at all costs." "And how do you sappose we do that?" Twelve asked. "Enter into Darkness." Everyone gasped and whispered to one another. They were Light nobodies, nonexistant beings who were allowed to be showered with Light and accepted as peace keepers. To enter Darkness meant traitorism or insanity. "I see... as we all know Darkness is not a thing to underestimate. Zelixar I understand what it is you're trying to point out, but I can't afford any of my ranks to turn tratiorous on us. We've already lost a valuable member... more valuable than I had first thought. But that is in the past. We must look to the future. And that Future is bleak. My friends and fellow Light nobodies.. we must pull together if we wish to see this war end in our favor for multi-world peace. But we can not pull this burden alone. We need reinforcements... help if they can provide it in their favor. I will be sending two of you into the Neutral's Territory. Half of you shall remain here and safeguard the castle, the rest I'll send out into the worlds to keep Axel and Demyx safe away from the Darkness that bore from their resurrections. We can not allow Dark Superior Xariaha and his followers to win. Light will prevail over Darkness."

All the Light nobodies nodded, agreeing with Superior Xtutela's speech. The Superior then turned to the lower ranks. "Malvorlex..." The twelveth rank raised his head quickly and removed his hood. Bright orange long hair with red tips flowed downward, while long elfish ears poked out. One ear had the Light's logo pendant earring. He had strange black facial markings, like the cross that Roxas once wore, but missing a prong under his eyelids. His left eye was covered in a leather white eyepatch with gold studs around it and a large pyramid stud in the center. The remaining eye was a dark purple, with a sorrowful expression. "Yes Superior?" Xtutela smiled, trusting his instincts with the young hyrulian nobody. Yes... hyrulian... but that is another story... "Take Ledax with you and travel to the homestead of the Neutrals, see if they won't listen to reason and side with us when we plan another attack against the Darks." Malvorlex nodded. "Hey Malvy..." Hexlar called down. "Be careful partner." The pyro preist nobody nodded with a smile. "Will do good friend. I won't let you down Superior, we'll report back with any news we can find." Ledax smiled and nodded as well. "And remember, we must keep all battles away from Destiny Islands. We can not allow the Keyblade Master to enter our fights. It's far too dangerous for him... and more difficult than slaying Organization XIII. Understood all? Now, this meeting is over, everyone rest up and train your strenghts, check your weaknesses and improve them. Soon, this war will be over and only the determined and hopeful will survive. May Light shine in the darkest of places to guild the way home." All the Lights, one by one, disappeared where they sat in portals of grey and white.

------

Betwix and Between. Just one glimpe made the skin crawl on Malvorlex's neck. But there was not a lesser nobody in sight. Still... his guard was not dropped for at any moment a Dusk could warp in and attack from above. He gulped and pressed on through the forever tunnel of mixing colors. "Ledax..." He whispered to his partner as the two walked alone. "Yes?" She looked up at him, and instantly Malvorlex blushed. "Malvy, your cheek's turning red again... is it the fire power?" He shook his head. "No I.. uh.. well what I mean to say is... umm..." He stuttered in his words. Despite being a nobody, Malvorlex still 'admired' Ledax, both with things in common, despite being two seperate elementals. He was a fire weilder, and she a graceful water weilder. Yet, ever since they both met, his mind and spirit was relaxed and at rest. He had come to believe through his thoughts and followed them throught even though he was quite too 'shy' to admit it. He had a secret crush for her... the fact they both 'loved' music and could play it (even though Ledax used her instument as her weapon), both 'loved' swimming even if Malv was a pyro. They 'kindness' to one another, the fact they 'enjoyed' each other's company... so much in common... why did they have to lack hearts?

"I uh... I wanted to ask you something. Something important." He finally spoke up no louder than a hushed voice. He never raised his voice, and it made him a great being to hang around with. "Yes?" She answered, watching him as they walked. "I uh..." Malvorlex paused, turned to face her and grasped her hands together with his. "I wanted to ask a request from you." She blinked, nodding with a soft smile. "Sure Malvy... what is it?" Taking a deep breath, Malvorlex explained the best he could. "Ledax.. we are more than just partners and ranks next to each other. I want to let you know that whatever happens, I want to make sure you are safe and sound. All I ask though... is..." He gulped, staring down for a few seconds before looking back up. "Will you... will you... Will you fight beside me in the final battle against the Darkness? You and me.. maybe Hexlar and Rhuxa.. but mainly us two. I don't want to see you fall in battle. If we work together, we could... accomplish anything right? Together forever? No matter if we gain our hearts back, merge with our others, or fade into Darkness, our souls are one intertwine for eternity?" He almost hyperventilated, 'worried' over the outcome of this request. Ledax on the other hand, pulled her hands out of his, and wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. "Of course I will... whatever happens Malvy, I'll always be by your side. Now... let's see if the Neutrals will listen this time and help us out?" Removing herself from him, she held out her white gloved hand, in which Malvorlex took in with his own. "Together then?" He asked. "Together." She replied with a smile.

"I just hope that Axel and Demyx's next world to restore won't be too much they can't handle." Malvorlex said was the two of them continued down the long and emptiness of the realm of Betwix and Between.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Very long and detailed paragraphs are to be expected.

Warnings: slight language, slight blood

--------------------------------------------------------

Stepping onto the sandy ground, Axel sucked in the fresh warm air through his nostils. "Ahh! Now this is more like it! No snow, no ice, no cold! This is... Greece!" He said with a 'well what do you know' smirk on his face. He looked around the enterance to what appeared to be a Greek colliseum. "Wow... talk about detail in the design department." He commented and took a few steps forward. "Well, what do you say Demyx, how bout some Heartless and bad nobody ass kicking time?" No answer. "Demyx, did you hear me?" Still no answer. With a hard groan, Axel turned around, only to see Demyx shaving like a leaf, with his hands covering his mouth and eyes wide with nonexistant fear. "Demyx... relax... no more snow! You can stop shivering! Come on! Time's a wasting!" Demyx shook his head with a faint audible whine. "Noooooooo!" He squeaked. "Why not!?" Axel demanded, one hand on the sitarist's shoulder firmly. "I... I can't move! He... he'll know I'm back! I'm not welcomed here!" Axel gave his companion a confused look. "What do ya mean not welcomed here!? We're good guys now, we're here to keep the baddies out!" Demyx shook his head feverishly. "You don't understand! I ... I can't help! I bet if I take one step, he'll come out and take me away for what I did!" Axel stood in front of Demyx, both hands on the blonde's shoulders. "Who!? And what DID you do?!" Demyx whimpered and whispered his explanation. "Five years ago... Xemnas made me come here to steal a special stone! And it was in the Underworld of this place! Hades sent his dog after me!!!! I don't want to go in there ever again! Please Axel, can we skip this world!?! PLEASE!"

Axel sighed, and nodded. "Demyx, calm down. Can we at least look around? Come on... it's been five years, ya think old spooky's gonna remember ya? You're wearing white at least... that should be enough to not give them the hint? Got it memorized?" Demyx sighed, attempting to stop his trembling. Yes, it had been five years... surely his dark deed back then was forgotten by now? "I guess you're right Axel..." "Of course I'm right! I'm always right... come on... I wanna see if they have something called a gyro." Demyx blinked. "What's that?" "Dunno... but Xaldin spoke of it alot... I guess it's greek food. Anyways, I wanna try it. I'll share half with ya if we find any vendors." Axel turned his back on Demyx, proceding to head for the enterance of the colliseum. Demyx glanced to his left, then right... it looked safe. With a sigh, he moved one foot forward... nothing happened. With a smile back on his face, he took three move steps. "Hey Axel... you were..." He started but then stopped as suddenly the ground around them shook. "Demyx!" Axel shouted as he turned around, running back to his comrade, only to skid to a stop as tendrils of black darkness broke through the ground, surrounding Demyx like a round cage. "Axel! Help me!" He cried out, watching the darkness around him getting thicker. "DEMYX!!" Axel could only watch as the tendrils covered up, obscuring his veiw of Demyx, then collasping to the ground, disappearing into black sands with Demyx gone. Axel charged to the spot, intending to dig his way through to save Demyx only to be haulted by a burst of black smoke.

"Well, well, if it isn't one of the menincing pests of Organization XIII. That was rather bold of you to just waltz your way in here like that. Your little buddy owes me a load of a debt, so he's going to get REEEAAAALLLLL comfortable down where I'm sending him." Axel snarled at the tall blue man with flaming hair. "Hades! Bring Demyx back or I'll..." "Or you'll what? Techinally I ought to drag you under as well, considering the fact according to the multi-world order: you're dead. So now that you brought little what's-his-name back here, I'm giving you the favor and sparing you the trouble of becoming one of the populas in my lovely underworld! Relax pyro... he's going to be taken care of well! So why don't you just move on and find a new organization to meddle with eh?" Hades turned his back on Axel, flicking his hand as if to shoo the nobody away. With a loud growl, Axel summoned his chakrams in a blaze of flames. "I'M NOT LEAVING TILL I GET DEMYX BACK!" Hades grinned and glanced over his shoulder. "Was that the hint of caring I heard? Oh I'm sorry... you can't feel a gosh darn thing, so why bother wanting to retrive Demzy or whatever his name is if he's only going to slow a fast moving guy like you?" He glided over to Axel, poking at his shoulder. "I mean look at you! You're made for speed and for the kill! Why on earth would you want someone like him who's a coward for starters, can't fight to save his nonexistant life, and frankly whines all the way?!" Axel leaped away, holding his chakram by swinging them on his fingers. "Because his my friend and I'm not leaving this world until I get him back! Understood?!"

Hades leaned back up and laughed. "Yeah I understand... but the answer is no. Sorry kid, you snooze, you lose, you go home empty handed, come on it's part of life what do ya say?" Axel glanced down to the ground, thinking of something quick to help Demyx. What did Axel know of Hades? Hmmm... "Wait..." He started, returning his chakram away to nothingness. "You're a gambling man, are you not?" He said with a smirk. "What's that to ya?" "Well... I betcha I can get Demyx back on my own within a certain time limit. You said afterall I was built for speed, no? If I win... I get Demyx and we leave together." "And what if you lose?" Hades pushed, giving Axel a look that could stop most people cold. The pyro thought it over and replied. "My fire powers and every power that makes me a nobody: immortality, ageless life, elemental power, the ability to portal through worlds, and the ability to heal more rapidly than someone with a heart." Suddenly the Greek god let out a evil laugh. "You gotta be kidding me! Look kid, I'm a god. I already have most of that stuff you just listed, why would I want more of that silly stuff?" Axel frowned, he had to think of something else. Something worth the bargain. "Care to learn all the secrets of Xemnas's powers? I know them well..." Hades lifted eyebrow. "Oh really, do explain?" "I know some of the powers he never used against that keyblader Sora and his friends because the powers were so powerful, he could be killed himself in the process... however.. someone say... of your calibur... who's already godly enough, could possible harness these powers and become a supreme being! And I mean... SUPREME... a God among gods!"

The underworld lord placed his hand to his chin, thinking over the explainantion. "Supreme? Supreme is good! Okay hot pants, you got a deal... I've been trying to boot old Zeus's thunder booty off the high rise for ages." He waved a hand towards his left and suddenly in a burst of black smoke, there was a set of black stairs leading to a enterance. "I'm feeling generous so I'll give you six hours to find Denny and get out in time. If not, not only will you forfeit all you know about Xemnas's little batch of evil secrets, but you too will also be serving me. For all of eternity since as you said... nobodies go on forever.." Axel could only glare back, curling up his right corner lip to expose his teeth like a wild animal. "Deal." He said and turned his attention to the door. Sucking in one hard breath into his chest, Axel dashed in full speed ahead, the clock now running, so he had to be fast on his heels and quick with any heartless battles. Focus on finding Demyx and the rest flows right alongside. His vision soon darken as the warming light of the sun disappeared behind his back and the errie darkness blanketed him forward. As the gates behind him closed, Hades merely chuckled to himself. "Now to do away with those pests once and for all... I don't care if those heartless pin-heads in other worlds are having little crybaby fists fights over world balance shinaz... I've got some entertainment to watch. This... should be good..."

- - - - - - - - - - -

5 Hrs. 17 mins lefted

Axel stopped to catch his breath, having been running for a while headlong past corridors and creepy cavern halls. Using his left hand to hold him up, he wheezed in and out, desperate to return his breathing to normal fast. Time was against him and he had to find Demyx soon. Out of the reaction of having his wind pipe dry from the inhaling of cold air, Axel spat to the ground as if trying to moisten his throat again. "DEMYX! ANSWER ME!" He attempted to shout out. The only reply he got was the sound of his voice, echoing off the walls of the caverns, fading away into the darkness. No sigh of the Melodious Nocturne. "Damn it... so hard to breathe!" He complained, wheezing ever so slightly. "Five minute rest, then back to the search..." He slid down against the wall resting his back against it with legs crossed. He nestled himself in until he was sure not to fall down while resting and closed his eyes, focusing on regaining normal air flow and at every single sound that was produced enter his eyes. Water dripping from the roofs above, a slight old wind blowing through. Nothing new about what went on in caves. The constant lull almost sent the pyro to sleep, nodding on and off slightly. Five minutes... feh, it wasn't long enough. "_Axel..._"

The nobody gasped and his eyes snapped open hearing his name. He looked around, was it Demyx that called out!? He stood up, looking around for the voice. "I'M HERE! I'm here! Where are you!? Say something!" He cried out, nearly desperate now. His emerald eyes flashed about, looking for the source of the voice. He turned towards a tunnel, one he had not taken down before. "_Axel..._" If Axel had his heart it would of stopped in mid thump. There... Axel swore he saw.. no it can't be. Not his little partner! Not... "Ro..Roxas?" He whispered, eyes staring down the black tunnel. He tried to see onto the other end, but with no luck. "I must be losing my mind here... There is no physical way he's here... I can't let this place get under my skin!" He sighed, turning to head back towards his spot of wall to rest a bit more. "_...This way..._" Okay... freaky dinky time. The pyro wizzed back around, eyes widen as he saw what appeared to be a transparent image of the boy he knew so well. "Roxas!? Is that you!?" Axel started to think this over, Roxas... and he was transparent, so did that make him... a ghost? Was there such a thing for nobodies? The 'ghost' turned slightly, pointing down the black tunnel, his lifeless eyes focused on Axel. The older nobody approached, still staring at Roxas as they stood in front of one another. "This way?" The image nodded. "Roxas... are you.. stuck here?" The blonde's head shook no. "Are you still with Sora?" A nod. "Will we... will we meet again?" A slow nod. A smile crept over Axel's face. Somehow... somewhere, Roxas was trying to help. So their partnership hadn't faded away as they did into Darkness? "Then I'll see you then... thanks buddy." The image smiled, though the eyes were still dull and lifeless. Axel nodded and extended a hand to ruffle the blonde's hair out of their bond habit. But his hand went through and Axel quickly recoiled it. "Sorry, my mistake... I better be going, I can't let Hades imprison Demyx!" Axel turned and quickly dashed into the tunnel without a moment's notice. As he dissappeared, the image of Roxas suddenly grinned with wicked intensions, disappearing in a veil of black flames, replaced with a shadow heartless used in a dark firey illusion. It had sent Axel towards a trap.

- - - - - - -

4 Hrs. 2 mins lefted

"Ugh... I could of sworn I pasted this rock five minutes ago!" Axel glared at a oddly shaped rock that looked like a pillar with small chunks of purple crystals in them. He glanced over to the tunnel he just came out of, and ran back through. He soon came back to the same spot, wasting five minutes from another tunnel. "Damn it!!!! Same stupid place! I HOPE YOU'RE GETTING A GOOD LAUGH HADES BECAUSE I'M NOT!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. If there was one emotion that was at least present in a nobody, it was fustration and only there to keep reminding a nobody of their missing heart, thus emotionless to everything else but fustratrion. Summoning one chakram, Axel let out that penned up fustration onto that same rock, slashing and carving away while metal sparks shot into the air. Wasting time again, but like he cared at this moment? He would be wasting time anyways if he kept up trying to find a way through. "Agh! Agh! Agh! Agh! AGH!!!!" He groaned out to each smack of metal chakram on rock. After so many hits, he hunched over, panting over and over. "Demyx... I... please be safe. I can't deal without your goofiness around. You have to be close by... please. I need... help."

Suddenly Axel's caught the sound of small rocks and pebbles tumbling over. His head snapped upwards, gazing up at a part of the room he hadn't noticed before. Another passageway accessable via a set of stoney stairs. But standing at the edge of platform, stood a figure in a black cloak. In Axel's mind, it was an automatic Dark nobody. "You!" He sneered. The nobody held its ground, as if glaring down at Axel, before suddenly retreating back into the enterance. "Oh no you don't! Don't you be running away from me now!" Axel returned his chakram away and dashed to the thin set of stairs. He scrambled up them, slipping a few times on a couple of slick wet steps but never lost his speed going up. Slapping his hands onto the platform and pulling himself up, Axel gazed down the black tunnel. "Where'd you run off to prick!? Huh? Can't take the heat of Axel? Huh!? Huh!? Yeah, that's what I thought... chicken. I've got a scaredy cat on the run! Got it Memorized!?" The pyro stood up, huffing and puffing as if getting ready for a rough rumble. He stared down the dark tunnel, listening for anything. Without sparing a moment, he heard the sound of feet running and gave chase into the darkness. "Come back here!" He barked.

Soon Axel came into the pale lit room that was fairly large. He looked around, no one in sight. "That was highly expective of you to just run headlong into things you don't see. No wonder why you were swept into the Darkness. Ignorant and stupid... thoses are the words you live by, isn't it Axel?" That voice... it sounded so vaguely familar to Axel's ears. He spun around towards the enterance he just came out of, seeing the man in deep black face him down. "Big talk from someone who's sticking to the shadows and hides away. Who are you!" The hooded figured chuckled and shook his head side to side. "Ah, but the question is... how well do YOU know yourself?" The pyro blinked and stood up slightly. "Know myself?" Axel quickly went into a defensive stance. "You just trying to trick me or something!? You're one of those Dark pin-heads are you!?" "Heh... as always, you jump the gun before checking to make sure it's loaded. No wondered you faded away a coward's death." Axel's lips curled into a sneer, wanting so bad to take a whack at this guy's head. Who da flippin' hell he was?! "You've got alot of nerve to say that..." He growled, summoning forth his chakrams in a spiral of red flames. The other figure fell silent for a moment, head dipped down as if in deep thought. "I knew you would do that." He lifted his head, and held out both arms. Spiraling, came forth two tendrils of darkness that snaked around his arms until they reached his hands, bursting... into a pair of black and silver chakrams identical to Axel's own. "I wonder how long it takes you to realize this is no contest?"

The pyro was taken back now, eyes wide as he stepped back a few feet. "How the...!?" "Like I said... how well do you know yourself... weakling?" Now that was the straw that broke the nobody's back! Axel dashed head long for a frontal assault, swinging his chakrams in a downward side swipe. But as he went to make contact, the unknown attacked back with the same move, causing Axel to bounce away. The pyro was quick on his feet, and came back, setting his chakrams on fire. Throwing them at his opponent, the chakrams became blazing fireballs. A dark chuckle came from the unknown's throat as he swatted the weapons away like mere flires with his black and steel chakrams. "Looks like I was right... you are so weak without your better side. Weakness... isn't tolerated well in my book. I better extinguish that flame of yours then. It's light is starting to bother me..." He dashed at Axel, knocking the pyro to the wall. He cried out when a black chakram flew by, grazing against his cloak and slicing across his shoulder. In one desperate move, Axel rushed towards the unknown, before darting to the sides, zig zaging to avoid being pegged with those steel grey spikes. Ducking under once, Axel managed to slice a line across the unknown's stomach, who recoiled back a second too late as fabric split apart. Since the cavern was dimly lit, the blood that dripped forth appeared to be black. Not that Axel would care, nobody blood was red just like hearted beings, they just don't bleed as much as the hearted because of their ablility to heal over woulds and cuts much faster than normal. "Heh... looks like you're not all talk now aren't you?!" The unknown glared under the hood. "Hardly..." He grumbled and went to strike Axel in the chest.

BANG!

The black chakram was knocked out of the unknown's hand. Both turned their heads about, looking for the source of the gunshot. "Grr... enough games!" The unknown returned to Axel, threatening to summon forth whatever element he held. Axel braced himself for the worst, only to hear two more gunshots fire, causing the unknown to back off. There... in the corner of the ceiling, was something moving. Axel glanced up at it, watching it sway back and forth. The unknown casted up his chakrams at high speed, only to watch as the strange red object dart away, fire rounds from a weapon unscene and landed in front of Axel, still firing rounds. In a raging fit, the unknown attacked this red flying tattered sheet, using the chakrams that returned to his palms to deflect bullets. But as soon as he was close for a final blow, the object lepted back, Axel nowhere insight and dashed into a hidden passageway. When all was silent, he chuckled and dispersed his dark weapons. "Yeah... that was just the warm-up Axel... next time... you'll die. Got it memorized?" He whispered and disappeared in a thick black portal.

- - - - - -

4 Hrs. 49 mins Lefted

"So... you're stuck here then? That really bites... but... thanks for the little rescue. Though I had it handled just fine. No need to pull a spooky gunslinging jumbo on me Vincent, I had it covered, got it.." "If you had it covered, then why were you hesitating so much?" Came a low groan of a voice from the shadows. Axel shrugged. "He's a fast one. Fast as me... I'll be on my toes next time I see his black nobody ass." "Will you now? That's good... Better keep to your words then, they might help you in the long run." The pyro blinked and took another bite out of the small marshmellow dumpling the ex Turk had offered him once the coast was clear. Something to keep Axel energized. "So.. when do you think you'll be able to go back to your world Vincent?" Vincent Valentine opened his eyes, pushed back a lock of black hair and crossed his arms, the gold armor of his left arm shining slightly. "Until I search for the man that took my life from me... the one I was living before this curse fell upon my head... placed me into a deep slumber... and ended up like this. I will not rest until I have Hojo in my claws. I know he's lurking here somewhere. Even if it takes me eternity, I will never stop till I am content with myself." Swallowing a bite, Axel nodded. "Yeah.. I've got something like that... except I'm not leaving till I get my partner back. And I'm on a tight time budget... but with this maze... who knows if I'll ever get through in time." The man lifted his head and gave Axel a slight smirk. "I know every shortcut here. I can help you find the exit to the surface. Who are you looking for?" "Demyx is his name, about a foot under my height, dirty blonde hair kept in a mulhawk, blue eyes, white clo.." "I've seen him."

Axel's eyes lit up. "You have!? Where!?" "Near Hades's lair, but he may not be there for long." "Then we have to hurry! I can use an extra pair of eyes." A witty smile brought forth from Vincent and he nodded, bringing up his gun Cerberus, cocking it with new bullets. "But first... we need to clear a path... through them." Axel glanced over his shoulder, seeing a hoard of heartless appear down a path. He smirked, popping the snack into his mouth and summoned forth his chakram. "No problem... They just need to step aside for the inferno of the 'Axel Express'!" He said, catching himself on fire and dashing headlong into the heartless. Vincent shook his head slightly, watching Axel before joining in the chase, firing a few rounds into unsuspecting Heartless. "Kill less... run hard. Follow me!" He huffed, running on ahead. Axel blinked, then nodded. Killing Heartless was going to waste time he was losing desperately in the fight to save Demyx.

"Hold on Demyx! We're almost there! Just be alright when we get there!" The pyro huffed under his breath as he dodged a heartless, trying to keep up with the engmatic man up ahead in his sights.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Very long and detailed paragraphs are to be expected.

Enigmatic Ice-wielding nobody belongs to his respectful owner

Warnings: slight language, slight blood

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3 Hrs. 12 mins left

Keeping up with Vincent was harder than it looked. The man was quick on his feet. If Larxene was alive, well... she'd be high over heels for the 'lighting speed' this guy had. Axel huffed his way behind him, killing off any stray heartless in their path. Strange... heartless everywhere but not a lesser nobody in sight. Where had they all gone to? Did they still follow under Xemnas's dead command or... did they serve a new order? No time to think about that. Crossing over a narrow stone bridge, Axel paused from his chase to look down. Below was a swirling mass of green with white puffs of what appeared to be clouds swirling around in the green mass. But suddenly he felt a hand and peered up to Vincent's eyes. "You don't want to go down there..." He mumbled. "Why?" Axel whispered. "The well of souls... fall in there... and it'll suck the life from you. Literally." Axel gulped and silently nodded, before falling behind Vincent again. "Can we break from running? I may be thin, but I haven't ran since my time back in..." "The Organization?" Vincent interrupted, expecting the same answer. "No..." A surprised look came over the gunslinger and he looked back over his right shoulder. There was a long pause of silence, seeing Axel with his head turned away, not meeting Vincent's eyes. "I see..." He finally said, returning to the path. He understood Axel's silent response and honored it... for it was risking life or limb when questioning a nobody his past as hearted being... especially if it was not a pleasant life.

The two continued down a narrow path all the while being followed by wispy spirits. Axel continued to glance behind his back every now and then. "Relax... they aren't dangerous." Vincent reassured, not even bothering to look behind him. "They're just curious. They just haven't seen a living being in this realm." Axel glanced up at Vincent. "So what does that make you?" The man paused, almost appearing to be glancing back at Axel, yet not. "... I am just here..." "Ohh I see." Axel nodded and continued onward. "You know... you remind me of someone... looks almost like you in fact. Same tone of voice, and red hair. Use to work in the same field as me..." Axel gazed up as the two started to climb up a small wall. "Oh really? Who?" Vincent said nothing, but shrugged his shoulders. Seeing how getting just about any answer out of the man would prove difficult, so Axel simply followed like a good boy and kept his comments to himself. Maybe silence was the key to surviving this trial. But with the time running against him, the pressure was on. "Hey... no force or anything Vinnie but... time _is_ against me here and I reallllllllyyyyyy don't want to be the newest permanent resident in here for all eternity. So uh... how much longer till we reach where we're suppose to be at?" Vincent paused from his path again and turned to face Axel. "Not much longer. We're very close. Just a few more steps up some hidden stairs then we'll reach the entrance to Hade's lair." The pyro nodded, then placed his hand to the rock wall. "So... where is this stairs you say?" At that question, the man pressed down on a rock point, causing the rock wall that Axel was leaning on rumble and slide open, making the pyro jump back slightly. He blinked a few times then slowly gazing up the stone walkway up. "Eh heh... a 'few' stairs eh? Hope this won't suck up too much time..." Vincent already started to climb the eerie blue lit stairs. "If you're in a hurry... be my guest and go first." He said and pointed up, which Axel took no time in hopping up those stairs. Vincent watched him silently, only to shake his head in dismay at the approaching fate that waited for both Axel and Demyx.

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The dark moans and cries of the atmosphere around poor Demyx made him involuntarily shake against his will. Whether it was the monstrous cavern that was dimly lit or the hidden memories that he couldn't remember that set off his shaking of nonexistent fear... he was sure the end was near. On the floor, he shifted about his shackles which are already cutting into his wrists, fresh blood covering over the old stains. He whimpered slightly, but tried again. Demyx had been working on trying to escape from his confinements, but with no progress except for cut wrists and bloody shackles and cloak sleeves. Another scream off in the distance caused a gasp to escape from the hydro. His shivering continued and stopped slightly from struggling, attempting to curl up in a ball. But no matter what... not one tear was shed in those squinted shut eyes while trying to 'comfort' himself. "Axel... please get here soon. I know you're coming for me. You've saved me before... I know you can do it again. I need you... Please... please be safe where you are, and come to rescue me..." He whimpered. Rocking back and forth, Demyx continued to wait patiently, as he always did. Soon there was a silent air and he was able to relax the best he could, only a warm air was able to soothe his wounds. His arms were aching, tiring from being held up so long. Using them like a weary sling, he rested his head on the side, and rocked back and forth, listening to both the wind and the clanging of chains against the stone wall of his confident. "Well how's my new little buddy stone-stealing thieving Danny? Eh? Getting all comfortable while your fire wielding hot head is taking his swweeeeeeettt time avoiding you! Yup, that little pyro you follow around like a obsessed lap dog has turned in his leash over and frolic all off on his own! Aww... don't be all down in the gloom... you're already there!" Demyx flinched and dared not looked over at Hades as the god of the dead appeared not far away from him. "Oh what's the matter? Not so much in a chit-chat mood? Feh, you'll be once you'll realize ole' fireball ain't coming to rescue ya. I've got my resources tellin' me that he's realized what a load stone you've been on his back and went off as free as a bird!" Demyx's hands now clenched into tight fists; that was all he had been hearing out from Hades whenever the god appeared in the throne room. They were all lies, lies to make Demyx want to do anything to get Axel back, and the hydro wasn't going to let hollow words put him down.

Swallowing down his dry throat, Demyx dared a small glare back at the underworld god. He still remained silent and turned away so that he could find comfort away from that evil grin. But Hades was not about to let a little glare ruin his mood and sat down on the stone throne, grinning ear to ear at the blonde. "Still in denial?" Demyx didn't gaze up, but managed to force some sort of response through his parched lips. "Nothing you say fazes me. You can't scare me, I know Axel is coming... he'll come for me... and then you'll be sorry." There was a slight pause of silence before the Greek god roared in laughter. "By what? Kamakazing himself again to save your scrawny neck? Forget it kid, it's over. He's through, you're through. I win, party's over!" Demyx wanted to whimper, but would deny Hades that pleasure. The god's words were false and he knew it. He knew, if Axel had saved him back on those snowy mountain tops, he would surely save him here in the Underworld. "No matter what you say Hades, I know in my gut that Axel's coming to get me and when he does… you'll be the one paying back!" "That must be one messed up gut then. You're gonna need some heavy fiber to move that down!" Hades laughed back, placing his fingers together and tapping the tips slightly. Demyx glared hard at the man, seriousness in his sea blue eyes. "Just you wait, you creep! He'll be here, and when he does, he'll be so hot that the cave walls will turn to lava. Trust me, no one and I mean NO ONE messes with Axel. He's not called 'Flurry of Dancing Flames' for nothing!"

Now Hades went from being a sarcastic man to a unimpressed being. His frown formed a pout and he waltz up from his throne towards Demyx ready to kick the snot out of him. "Listen here, I don't care what mambo jumbo comes out of that mouth of yours, but your little fireball hero isn't going to make a monkey out of me, YA HEAR!?" He shouted, changing from blue to red with red flames for hair. He pulled back a leg, ready to kick the now shivering Demyx who was desperately trying to shield his face. A smirk suddenly appeared on the god's face. "Good... you keep shivering like the dog you are... Wait a second... Dog? Dog is good... and I know JUST the monster to greet your fire hazard buddy downstairs.. Hahahahahaha!" Demyx's pupils shrank to mere dots. Oh, he knew what Hades meant and it caused him to involuntarily hyperventilate. Nobody or not, Hades' "pet" scared the very core of Demyx's nonexistence.

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2 Hrs. 29 mins. left

Axel's throat was parched, demanding the cooling moisture of water. Soon, he'd tell himself. Just as soon as he frees Demyx, he'll quinch his thirst. He was ahead of Vincent, after picking up Demyx's injured aura slightly the pyro had darted ahead. The steep stone stairs were murder on his legs, pounding from overstressing the legiments. But he had to make it in time, he had to! Nothing was going to stop him, not now, not ever. It was a hidden driving force that pushed the redhead on further, a drive that couldn't be seen or felt. To him, it was a inner peace whenever he was around Demyx. Like a drug user, he needed more of that inner peace and his soul would not rest till Demyx was back safe under his wing. Strangely, he did not think about that moment back in the cave on the frozen mountaintop in the last world... otherwise Axel would begin to wonder if that inner peace was what drove him to nearly doing what he almost did. Huffing in short breaths, he could see the gates to Hades' throne room just ahead. His spirits raised and began leaping over steps to get to his goal faster. "Almost...huff huff there... huff Demyx!" He weezed as he leapt over each other step. He paused only for breath once he got to the top, the gates straight ahead in front of him. He coughed a few times, trying to encourage moisture to return to his sore throat. Axel braced his hands to his knees as he leaned over, still gasping. Once he was sure he regained enough energy, he raised up summoned fire around his arms till his chakrams appeared. He released a battle cry, charging towards the gates and bursting through, flames erupting off his body. "DEMYX!" He screamed, eyes darting like bees around in search of the blonde. He spotted Demyx on the ground, still shackled and sped towards him. "Demyx! Oh Demyx, wake up, it's me Axel! Oh please for the love of Kingdom Hearts Demyx wake up!" He pleaded as he got on his knees, uses the heat of his hands to melt away the metal restraints.

The blonde started to stirr, his eyes opening slightly towards Axel. "Demyx, are you okay little buddy?" Axel whispered, his eyes not blinking. But Demyx only smiled wickedly, and reveiled to not be Demyx... as his body started to contort and change, seperating and becoming the two goblin henchmen Pain and Panic. "BLAHHHH!!!" They shouted, spooking Axel off his feet and watched in shock as the two tiny fiends scattered away. "Looking for this?" Axel leapt back to his feet, chakrams in hand ready to strike. Hades came out of the shadows, holding the real Demyx in his grasp in a body shackle, smiling as the boy who was gagged as well wiggled about trying to free himself. "Release him you jerk! I made it here in one piece and under that time limit! I won, Demyx is mine!" The Greek god laughed. "Ooooh! Uno correcto buddy! I said you win if you and him both make it out TOGETHER! Now you have like what? Under a hour to do so? Hm, looks like you should of been using your brain more. Didn't your momma taught you not to take advice from strangers? They led you straight into traps!" Axel growled. "What are you talking about!?!" Just then, Vincent appeared, looking as mysterious as ever. "Vincent! Alright, backup! Let's team up, we can take down Hades in no time!" But Vincent didn't even look Axel in the eye. In fact, it was if he didn't even acknowledge him. "I did what you told me, Hades... I brought Axel up here. Now... your half of the agreement..." Axel's mouth hung open like a mailbox. Vincent tricked him!?! "Yeah, yeah... your little contract." With a free hand, Hades waved the air next to him, and a large scroll appeared opened. With a snapped of his fingers the contract set ablaze until only ashes remained. "Okay Vinnie, you're a free man! Go back to your world and do whatever you were doing before." He waved Vincent off and the man turned to leave. 

"Wait! Vincent, you were working for this creep!? But..." Axel juttered up, only to be cut off. "That's right kid. He's been leading you here to me all along, just so I can be even more entertain at your failure and enevinable destruction. See, he wandered in here just like you and your water baby here. But unlike you two, he and I came into an agreement. Now he's free... and you're stuck here forever to be my humble little torture slave. Wouldn't that be swell!?" If there was anything stuck inside Axel, it was a nobody's fustration... and when used in a certain way, it would be like rage, only worse. He glared up at Vincent as he lefted down the stairs. "Traitor... I thought you were on the side of good.. I guess even heroes can go sour." He whispered. Turning back towards Hades, his stare was on Demyx. There was a silence now, both nobodies looking at each other's eyes. It was as if they were reading each other, seeing what the other one was thinking. In the end, Demyx nodded slightly. Axel returned the nod, suddenly crouching down and launched himself towards Hades. Fire flew, and Demyx turned his face to the side, allowing a arm of fire to lick at his gag cloth, burning it off while Hades tried to dodge Axel's frontal assault. But Hades was not the pyro's target. It was a swift attack, and in the end, Demyx felt Axel's warm arm around his waist, chakram protecting him as the two of them ripped from Hades' grip and crashed through a window. They fell down towards a large platform and it looked like Axel was going to get the whole body slam of it. "Axel! Flame off!" Demyx shouted. The redhead nodded quickly and turned off his fires. With one thrust of his hand, Demyx summoned water collecting all over the caves, forming a column of cool water to catch them from falling. Once they landed safely to the bottom, Hades appeared in a mass of smoke. "Don't think you can get away THAT easily!!! You still haven't met the family pet! CEBEREUS!" The cave walls shook suddenly and a enormous stone wall opened from nothing. There, in the shadows, three pairs of eyes opened and with it a monsterous growl. The massive three-headed dog appeared, teeth gleaming and ready to rip apart Demyx and Axel like paper. "Seck em' boy!" Hades comanded and disappeared, leaving the beast to attack it's prey. Axel stood up, chakrams ready in each hand to attack. The center head lunged forth, snapping at Axel, only to retreat back with a yelp when Axel's chakram lefted a mark on it's nose. "Axel! We can't take it on, it has three heads!" Demyx pleaded, limping away from the fight, looking for a way to escape. Axel grumbled under his breath. He didn't want to be defeated by a ugly huge dog, but there had to be a way to slow it down long enough to portal away or at least find the exit to the surface.

The answer came in the form of three bullets firing at each of the dog's heads. Axel and Demyx watched as they came from a fast moving shadow, that quickly landed in front of them. "Looks like you both could use a bit of hero's help?" Axel blinked multiple times as Vincent reloaded his gun. "Uh, sure... be my guest." Vincent smirked and aimed his gun up at Cebereus. "Let begones be begones then?" Axel smirked and nodded. "Nothing personal... Cover Dem's back will ya? He's not in shape for this fight." Axel jumped ahead, slashing at the left head while Vincent kept the other two busy. But no matter how much the two tried, the monster was not finished. Axel was violently shooked off, but that didn't faze the young pyro one bit. Vincent finally joined in, leaping in the air and firing down from a aerial position. Each bullet hit their targets, but were nothing more than flea bites to the beast. The right head snapped up, nearly catching Vincent in its jaws. But suddenly, Demyx could sence a chill in the air... and witness as a large shuriken flew straight for that muzzle, embedding itself in the skin. Once on contact, ice suddenly wrapped around the muzzle, creating a barrier of thick ice. The other two heads saw the ice, but paid more attention towards Axel and Vincent, though they saw the ice form. "Who in the world?" Axel started. Out of the shadows, another shuriken flew into a front paw, sealing it in ice to the floor. The third head had manage to break the ice off, and growled ferousiously. Landing down near Demyx, stood a cloaked man in a faded black organization cloak. around his neck was a thick blue scarf, and draping under this scarf and laying on his chest was a light blue sash. A small symbol was embedded in the sash, but Demyx did not have the time to see it clearly.

"Where have you been?" Vincent asked, with a small smirk on his lips as he landed down next to this ice enigmatic nobody. "Feh..." The hooded one stated. "Superior needed extra hands... private business. But I am here..." The nobody glanced up, watching under that hood at Axel fighting the three heads. "Chosen one?" Vincent nodded. "And the other... does your Superior know?" A silent nodd. "Afterall... she was the one who summoned them with sacrifical blood and aura stones... guess we... ought to lend a hand in their escape?" Vincent nodded again, reloading his weapon. "Undoubtablely..." He launched himself back into the fight, firing at one of the head's eyes. The man turned towards Demyx, and pointed towards a small platform connected to the large one. Within seconds, a portal had formed. "Get your partner and leave this to us..." Demyx nodded, watching him leap off, throwing more shurikens, freezing ice on the spot in which they landed. Axel fell back, glaring slightly at the ice wielder. "Hey! Who said you could just butt in!?" "Axel!" Demyx shouted, and pointed to the portal that was made. "Hurry, let's escape while we still have a chance!" Axel gruffed, but withdrew. "Catch you later Vincent! Good luck and thanks!" He called back, knowing Vincent didn't have the time to wave back, keeping Cebereus distracted while he and the mysterious nobody attackeded. Returning away his chakrams, Axel didn't realize how much time he had lefted. He glanced at Demyx, and watched the portal start to shrink from Hades' powers. "RUN!" He screamed. Demyx managed to pull himself up and with the last bits of strenght ran for the portal. Axel soon followed closely behind, but the beast had caught them escaping and burst through his attackers. He nearly got them, if it hadn't been for the nobody, summoning up eight shurikens in his hands and throwing them at once. Axel managed to watch that three headed dog become a giant block of ice just as the portal closed behind him.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Axel and Demyx landed in what appeared to be a storage room. Carpets rolled up against a wall, shelves filled with goods being stored and a oil lamp to keep the place lit. Axel egnited a flame, then searched the place for anything to help Demyx. The blonde had pulled out a carpet and blanket to rest on, watching Axel. "What are you looking for?" "Potion, ether, anything to clean those cuts on your wrists..." Pause. "Hey Axel..." The pryo turned around, after finding a jar of super potion. Demyx stood up, cloak off and exposing his bare chest, reaching up and hugging Axel close. "Thank you... for saving me again. I thought I was going to believe Hades there for a second." Axel blinked in surprised at first, then simple returned the hug. "Nah... not this ole' pyro. Got it memorized?" Demyx smiled and nodded. "Yea..." "Good, now lie down and let me give you this stuff... we can check out where we are in the morning." Demyx gave Axel a puzzled look as he laid down and allowed Axel to tend to those wrists that were slowly healing back, but not at a favorable nobody healing pace. "How do you know it's night here?" Axel smiled. "Gut feelin'." Demyx smiled at the answer and turned to watch the fire glow in the oil lamp. "Think Vincent will be alright?" "Yep, he's a tough guy... though he was messing with the wrong crowd. Good to see he changed for the better." "What about that other guy?" "Hmm?" Axel looked up. "You know, that guy with Ice powers... who was he?" Axel shrugged, dabbing the gel to a cut. "Can't say... couldn't be a Dark nobody... Aura didn't fit for a Dark... and that sash. Darks dont wear sashes as far as I know. But then again... could be one a new organization we were failed to mention... I don't trust that Drakxis guy... Done." Demyx pulled his arms back and snuggled in the makeshift bed. Removing his own cloak, Axel slid in next to the blonde. "You know what's funny?" He asked Demy with his eyes closed. "Hm?" "We lefted with nine seconds lefted on the timer." "How do you know?" Demyx whispered. "I just know..." Axel sighed before his tired body was finally granted sleep.

But in his realm of slumber, he did not feel the light touch of something on his cheek... nor the rising approach of three Dark auras coming into the new, arabian world... of Agrabah.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Very long and detailed paragraphs are to be expected.

Airkax, Cosxette, and Synnxthene belong to their respectful owners

Warnings: slight language, slight blood

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A small ray of light beamed under the wooden door of the storage room. With it brought in the scents of a warmer climate. Axel was the first to stir from the ebbing calm security of sleep. His left eye squinted at the light, but soon opened slowly to allow his pupil to take in the light. His chest rose up and down in a gentle pace, still hanging in a disoriented world between sleep and alertness. He could hear faint sounds outside that door, shouting and conversations overlapping one another and hear faint music dancing in the background, bells jingling slightly. Once Axel's mind was alert enough, he started to stir from that carpet makeshift bed. Sucking in one hard breath, he now realized he wasn't alone. The pyro turned his head to the left, observing Demyx still asleep next to him. The blonde's arm rested quietly on top of Axel's chest, as if still needing his protection. Axel didn't blame him, after all being attacked by a monstrous three-headed dog called Cerberus was no cakewalk. Demyx moaned in his sleep, perhaps dreaming up something. He licked his lips before nuzzling back against the rolled up blanket that was used as a body length pillow for Axel and Demyx to share. Axel smirked to himself; let the boy sleep. Rising up without disturbing the other, Axel stretched without yawning, snagging his cloak and carefully approached the door. Who knew what lay outside?

With one hand to the doorknob, and another pressed flat against the wood grain, Axel slowly turned it open, and found it unlocked. The door creaked open to just a crack, enough to see briefly to see the outside world. His emerald eyes widen at the bright sunlight, seeing colors of the spectrum. After a few blinks to clear his vision, the nobody was greeted by the sights, sounds, and smells of a town bazaar. Merchants have lined the sides of the streets with items to sell or bargain with. Snake charmers played their pipes, tempting the cobras from their woven baskets and spreading their hoods for all to see. There was a sword swallower, fire eater, and a man wooing the crowd by walking over a bed of hot coals. Across the four way on the other side, were many food stalls. Axel's nose was overloaded by the scents of things cooking behind the counters. He could only guess the flavors from savory meats to sweet candies and fruits, to fresh caught fish. Before he would retreat back into the security of the floor bed, Axel grasped his stomach as it protested. He frowned, massaged it slightly before turning back to Demyx. Let him sleep in more, the hydro needed it desperately. So with a silent nod, Axel placed his cloak on and stepped outside into the warm desert air. He was cautious as he entered outside, not wanting to grab attention from the shoppers and vendors alike. First off was food, next... maybe find someone to wash the filth of the Underworld off his cloak. The ends of the skirt of the cloak were a smeared in yellow and brown against the white fabric. His sleeves were slapped with blood stains, mostly from holding Demyx and fighting Cerberus. But they could wait, his belly could not.

It was sometime later, when Demyx finally stirred from slumber. His wounds on his wrists and ankles were completely healed back and energy restored. He raised up, yawning loudly and stretching his arms off to the sides. After a good stretch, he smacked his tongue with his lips, lazily blinking back to alertness. "Mornin' Axel... Axel?" He blinked, looking completely around the small room. Where did the pyro go? He snagged his cloak, frowning at the blood stains on the sleeves. And here he had JUST come to enjoy the lush feel of the white cloak, it was far better than his old black one, and it gave him a symbol of freshness, and freedom. "I guess I'll have to get this wash myself... Wait a minute!" He smiled and stood up. This was a storage room, was it not? Surely he would find just what he needed? Picking through each shelf, clever Demyx found a small basin, and a few jars of soap oil. Using his elemental powers, he filled the tub with water, and then began to wash out the stains off his cloak. Using his fists to wash the cloak, he would rub sections of fabric against his knuckles, humming a sweet melody as he worked. After some tedious work, his cloak was back to being pure white like fresh clean mountain snow. He smiled at his work, only to glance back at the door. "Hmm... I should of done this while Axel's here. That way he can dry this for me while I wash his cloak." He whispered while holding up the dripping cloak. "Oh well! I don't think anyone will miss much. I'll just take a few things I know for a fact we'll need on our trip..." He smiled, taking a small bottle of super potion and a few normal potion bottles. He had just placed a neat bottle of elixir when he heard a creaking sound. He gasped slightly, eyes immediately to the door. His breath quickens and whole body tensed. The door opened more slightly and a tanned hand slipped in.

"Demyx? You awake?" The blonde sighed in relief that it was not a stranger. "Yes... I thought you were someone else." He said and sat back down on the carpet bed. Axel nodded as he came back inside, smiling as he held a small basket out. "Got you breakfast." Demyx's eyes lit up. "Food!? Really!? Wow, what did you get!?" Axel picked through the menu. "Chicken on a stick, some sort of bread cakes, dried oranges, some salted bacon, and roasted nuts." Demyx looked at the strange foods, the way they were prepared. But food was food and he was willing to eat anything at this point. He snatched one of the meat on a stick and bread cake, chewing it down. "Thanks Axel... I owe you so much..." The pyro nibbled off a very chewy slice of bacon, squinting at the salty flavor. "Nah... you owe me nothin'." "But it's true Axel! You've saved my life twice and I think I should repay the favor. But you're so good. You're better than me at fighting... I'm just a musician. Music is my strong point, not fighting. I didn't want to become a fighter..." Axel fell silent for a moment. "Neither did I..." He whispered below Demyx's hearing. But the blonde had seen his lips move, and stared in mid bite on his chicken. "What is it Axel?" He asked. The redhead snapped out of his zoning out, and glanced back up towards his companion. "...Nothing..." "Like hell. Come on, fireball. What's up? Please tell me what's wrong? I'll share my chicky with you..." He asked, smiling as he leaned against the side of Axel and waved his food in front of Axel. "I already ate... had some sort of smoked lamb. I've had my fill Demy... you eat yours. Hey, back off!" He shouted slightly, pushing Demyx off slightly. Things were getting way to close for comfort. "Aww, you're no fun Axel..." Demyx pouted and return back to his breakfast, eating as much as he could fill his stomach.

It wasn't a full hour that Demyx and Axel finished up the contents of the little meal and having Axel's cloak cleaned, that they overheard the crowds outside changed from the busy cheery sounds, to horrible shrieks and screams. Both men stared at one another before scrambling to their feet. "Heartless attack!" Axel hissed. They exited out just in time to see a family being chased. But this was no Heartless. It had a head like a Dusk nobody, except formed by large rose petals. The rest of it's twisted body was that like a brownish green tangle of vines and roots. It hissed and snarled, swinging it's vine arms around, lashing out at the terrified woman and children. Axel growled and launched himself between them, setting him ablaze. The plant nobody hissed, retreated back, but it was far too late as Axel fired three fireballs, burning the thing to nothing. Once it was gone and the street empty, Demyx ran up towards Axel, only his fires died off. "It was a lesser nobody!" He said to Demyx under his breath. "But that wasn't the kind Marluxia controlled... a new breed I betcha!" Axel nodded. "I saw the symbol on one of the petals on that head... Dark Organization breed. We've got company in this world!" Demyx nodded but then tensed after staring down the street the nobody had come from, summoning his sitar instantly. Axel followed Demyx's line of sight, glaring as he summoned forth his chakrams. There, creeping along the walls of buildings, were more plant nobodies and a few shadow heartless to boot! "Killin' spree Blondie?" Axel asked jokingly. "Only if you keep the Marly-wanna-bes at bay first!" Axel grinned, "You're on... time ya, five minutes!" He ran ahead, fires erupting from his chakrams. "Five!? I say sixty seconds on the clock, starting NOW! Come on Axel! Kick to the beat!" Axel laughed, Demyx and his water clone timing game. Ah, the good times... Demyx summoned forth a tidal wave, smacking heartless against the walls till they disappeared. A few water clones all gathered together, tackling and piling up on a few heartless till the sheer weight caused them to burst under the clones, which all melted back into a solid water blob to be reused. Axel leapt onto a wall, running sideways and setting ablaze to several of the plant nobodies. They screeched and popped, burning to a crisp like pine cones in a bon fire, disappearing when they were no more. A large body Heartless appeared, giving Axel a opportunity. He ran to the end of the wall, then bounced off the Heartless's girth and onto the other wall, slashing and burning his way through. "Piece of cake!" He grinned. "Hey Demyx, rock the house!" The hydro grinned and nodded, rocking out and summoning pillars of high pressure water to destroy the large body. Ah, nothing was much better than a good fight against nasty pesky Heartless and nobodies.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Do you think she's late?" Asked a calm voice. Standing on top of a rooftop were two nobodies in black cloaks; Dark members. One stood near the edge, looking down at the empty streets below. Hoods removed, it was clear the leaning one was female with blackish hair containing red streaks at a medium length and deep blue eyes. The other, standing off to the side was male, though his hair was slightly long and a deep purple in hue. His eyes... were a feral cat yellow but possessed no slit pupils. He grumbled, staring back at the female companion. "Synn's having her fun. Ick, why did Superior send me here!? HERE!? This world... Gah! It's FLITHY! I'm not putting one foot on that sand! Who knows where its been and I'm certainly not placing my nice clean boots in that stuff! I could well step in camel shit, what then!? Germs! Disgusting, no good evil germs to ruin my clean and pristine uniform! I rather choke on my own tie!" He pressed on, pulling out a high dollar red silk tie that was worn around his bare neck from under the cloak. "I just want to take the heart of the world and get out of here quickly as possible, Cosxette..." He added while turning his back to her. "Why? Just so you can play around with Number Eleven Airkax?" The girl, Cosxette replied back. Airkax frozed, then waved her off behind his shoulder. "He and I are just good comrades! Nothing else, why would you THINK of such a thing! Cosxette, I can't believe you would think that I would be something like..." "No, no! Oh don't jump to conclusions... it's just you spend alot of time with Orixon and I want to know why is that?" Airkax licked his lower lip, glaring down at nothing back and forth, left to right. "Did I miss something?" Came in a haunting echo of a voice.

Airkax and Cosxette looked up towards their lefts, seeing a thick black portal open, and a tall girl walking through. As she did, ivy leaves fluttered off of her to the ground and disappeared along with the portal. "You should of checked in earlier, Synnxthene." Airkax gruffed, giving the braided brown hair girl a side glare. "Speak for yourself Thirteen..." She turned back to Cosxette and slowly blinked. "Have they been drawn out into the open?" Cosxette nodded. "Looks like the Underworld wasn't good enough for them. I think they should become shriveled up prunes in the desert heat. At least the hydro. Don't know about that pyro, what do you think Synn?" Synn smirked and placed a hand under her chin. She soon smirked. "Sink him deep into the sands and choke the life out of him via Gravital powers..." Now Airkax raised his head, grinning ear to ear like a evil Cheshire cat. "Sounds like a plan..."Airkax snickered, cracking his knuckles one by one. Cosxette smirked as well. "We could bring home the credit of their downfall! Better than their dark sides! We'll beat them to doing the pleasure of destroying the wannabe nobody heroes..." Airkax added in. "Indeed, my dear... Xariaha will be quite 'pleased' with real results! He'll think twice before 'doubting' the lower ranks of the Darks!" Synn rolled her eyes. "Except when Orixon jumps in to ruin the fun..." Suddenly Airkax fell silent again. "Oh? Is that a blush I see?" Cosxette could read right through that gravital wielder... as was her specialty being an Emotion wielder. Her powers were the ability to read one's mental thoughts and feelings, hearted and nobody alike... "My dear, you jest! It's the sunlight! Ugh, I'm getting sunburned here! There's too much light here and it's ruining my perfect skin tone!" He protested.

Synn idly stroked the woody spine of a snake like plant she had summoned up around her arm, listening to it purr. "Oh listen to you two... You both sound like a married couple." She smirked to herself, listening to the other two continue onward. What silly nobodies... But then she caught something in the corner of her eye, returning her pet back into the Darkness. "Hold on.. here they come... Shall we give them a proper greeting?" Airkax and Cosxette both smiled wickedly as they could for being evil nobodies that they were. With a wave of their hands, each summoned forth their weapons. Cosxette's was a long black chain with heart pendants, having sharpened ends, ending up to look like a wild looking chain mace. Synn summoned forth a strange staff like rod, covered in deadly thorns and roses. And Airkax... well, he preferred to stick with what element graced his body. He was not one for contact attacks as the idea of blood on his cloak he worked so hard to shine and gleam into perfection, like him or so he believed himself to be. They watched from their perch the ever approaching wall of fire heading their way. Cosxette grinned wickedly at the licking flames that appeared now and then over the rooftops, catching sight of a flying chakram or two. "If things get too hot for you two, you can always head back." Airkax sneered, all the while started to life himself off the ground a few inches with his gravity powers. "And leave such a lovely face to be ruined by them, my dear? Tsk, tsk. You underestimate us Cosxy." He pointed out, his golden eyes flashing from the female nobodies to the only road that led to this structure; the enterance into the desert.

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SLICE! A plant nobody was cut in two as Axel swung his chakrams about. Demyx brought up the rear, using a tube of water that slammed itself against multiple heartless trying to slow Axel down. He was starting to become better at his fighting skills and a smirk of satisfaction appeared on Demyx's face. Ah, all he needed was to practice and not think about losing so much... with Axel by his side... Wait... His mind paused a bit, after plunging the side spikes into a careless dusk that got to close. What if he was in a situation, where Axel wasn't around? There was the time back in the Deep Jungle world... but the heartless there were weak. Not very good targets to build up strength. He swallowed dryly, having to stop a few seconds to catch his breath. Axel was too far ahead, already in his little killing spree world. Why did he seem so zoned out by the killing of a mindless being? If only Demyx knew the answer... it would break him.. if he had a heart to break. Axel on the other hand, had one thing on his mind that constantly nagged him: Demyx. Something about the water wielder was starting to affect Axel's fighting ability. He noticed this a few streets back when he and Demyx were too far apart. Axel had actually slowed down and took his time slaying a couple Dusks so that Demyx could catch up. Was it because he had a strange sensation to protect Demyx more carefully seeing how the blonde was a magnet for trouble? Or could it be something more? He shook his head, couldn't be anything more than just the fact he and Demyx both had to see this journey through. They didn't come back to the living worlds for nothing. They had a purpose and must fulfill it. Still, he found it hard not to constantly glance over his shoulder, making sure Demyx followed behind and was alright. What was wrong with the pyro?

Soon the two came towards the end of the line. "Demyx! Look! The entrance to the city!" Axel shouted, and pursued two last plant nobodies to their doom, igniting them into a sizzling inferno. Demyx slid to a haut, spotting the shadows at the top of the building. "Darkies!" He cried out, warning the red head of the danger above. The three of them laughed when Demyx pointed them out, Airkax twisting his right finger at the two below. "Score one point for the generally village idiot." Axel snarled immediately at the response. "Hey! Don't call my buddy a idiot ya jackass!" Cosxette giggled slightly, soundly a bit like Axel's old rival member Larxene's sadistic giggle. "Well… that would make you the hot-shot wouldn't it? Sounds to me like you more of nothing more than hot air... blowing here and there and everywhere except in the direction you want it to blow." Another snarl and Demyx had to keep a firm grip on Axel's shoulder to keep the pyro from launching himself at the Darks. He knew they were outnumbered two to three and who knew how many other Darks were lurking near-by or a plague of lesser nobodies. Cosxette merely grinned, seeking out the false emotions that Axel and Demyx were projecting: fake anger, and fake confusion. She though of what would be a good method to use those fake emotions to make the two partners weaken their mental states. Axel in the meantime was darting his eyes all over the place, waiting for a certain nobody to appear. "Nervous are we?" Synn asked in a wicked like hiss. "Nah... just waiting for yer little a-hole of a Darkie with a gun to come in and be a loud mouth again." "Orixon?" Synn was not impressed, knowing that the illusionist of her side was a jerk and a show-off as well as show-stealer, hogging the spotlight for his own amusement. "Pshh... tis not his mission. Why should he join in?" "Ori-sama?!" Airkax whispered, blinked then barked back at the duo below. "So it was YOU two that placed a few scratches on Ori! I ought to squish you all flat for that!"

Axel faked a yawn. "Oh yea... that dude. So sad... but not ya purple-headed pansy." He grinned and before Demyx could catch on, Axel suddenly just threw both chakrams ablaze towards the trio. Synn backed off, knowing she was weak against fire elementals, and Cosxette used her chains to smack the first chakram back away. But it was Airkax's gravital powers that caused the chakrams to slam to the ground. "Nice try old fart." Axel's emerald eyes widen at that remark. "No one... and I mean NO ONE calls me an old fart and gets away with it, ya little punk!" Axel snarled as he ran full speed ahead, collecting up his chakrams which set fire the moment his hands touched them and bounded up the building, intending to shred Airkax's head off that dainty pale neck with a red neck tie. Airkax sneered, and leapt back. "Girls, a little help please!" He ordered. Cosxette was the first to respond, swinging her chain about, one heart shaped pendant slice across Axel's cheek, blood seeping through. "Nnrr!" He growled, but swung again, this time his chakram made contact with Cosxette's chain, bouncing back with a loud ping. "Ack! How rude!" She pretend to pout, bouncing back as Synn dove from above, her staff rod's sharpen end aimed for Axel's chest. The pyro leaped back, seeing Synn as a strong match until he realized she was a Nature elemental. He stopped, panting in that second but it was a second that betrayed him. In his mind flooded memories... bad memories best lefted forgotten... with that horrid scent of roses coming back to haunt him. That man... that traitor nobody... Marluxia. Cosxetta seized that moment, focusing her powers on those memories, intensifying them, making them more horrible to Axel than they already were. Sweat started to pour down his temples, breathing quicken now. Somehow that horrid face of Marluxia could not be rid of in his mind. And that cool, swave voice... a sickening sound that trailed with that stench of roses. So over powering, it made Axel start to thirst for that man's blood again. Oh how he had wished that the keyblader hadn't of stepped in during that fight... he would have easily dodged little Namine' and gutted Marluxia... But no... never meant to be and now the corpse of revenge somehow boiled back into his blood and mind.

Demyx was a bit slow to climb the building since agility was not his strong point. He saw the change of Axel, the look in his eyes had changed and he knew that one of the dark nobodies was tampering with his mind. Now he was starting to fight Synn, but his moves had been slowed, almost in a drugged-induced state. He would swing a chakram, thinking he would hit and stop that evil scent of roses, only to miss and take a hit to the back. He cried out each time, but with each hit his nonexistent anger grew, blinding him. He did not see the woman Synn in front of him; it was Marluxia laughing at Axel's weak attempts to kill him off when he had the chance. "I'll get you this time!" He snarled out, only to cry out in agony as Synn chuckled while plunging her rod's point into his shoulder blade from above. Demyx wanted to call out, but knew that would attract attention. He had noticed the evil trio were focused on the pyro and had momentarily forgotten the hydro. What to do... what to do. Demyx licked under his lips, held his sitar to his front, and with a vigorous performance, began a song that was wild and fast. The notes attracted the attention of Airkax, who was standing next to Cosxette and pointing in laughter to Axel. He blinked at Demyx, then remembered what the musician was capable of. "Cosxy! Look ou..!!" He couldn't finish his sentence as the land shook violently. Rising over the rooftop, was a monstrous thirty foot wave of water and sand that had been summoned from deep under the ground. Demyx continued his song, rocking and banging his head back and forth, hair shaking like mini waves. The sand tidal wave surged forward, smacking Cosxette and Airkax together. Synn stopped from the fight, seeing the two hit with the wave as it was aimed towards her as well. In a last minute attempt, she summoned forth briar vines from nothing, growing rapidly around Axel's ankles, wrists, and around his neck in a deadly restraint. She was going to make sure Axel would drown from his own partner's attack as she leapt over the side of the building for cover at the last second.

Axel had been fighting against the briars, cutting into his arms as they snaked about quickly. But his efforts were futile as the shadow of the wave came crashing down upon him. He could only brace himself while preparing to feel the full hit. However, instead of having sand and water smack him into oblivion; the water fell down and created a protective dome around him. It was a moist bubble, as he watched the sands and water mixed together flow over him like paint. It was somewhat soothing to Axel as he realized Demyx was protecting him. And above all else, somehow the dreaded haunting memories of old went away and Axel was no longer 'enraged' by the smell of roses in his memory. He was back to being himself, no more lust for revenge, no more Marluxia taunting him in the face. He calmed down considerably, but still struggled against the vines still cutting into his flesh. Without needing to think twice, he ignited himself, setting the briars on fire and freeing himself just as the wave finished sweeping over. Axel shook his red hair a bit, making the appearance of a regal mane before dashing over to the opposite side of the building. There, drenched on the sands of the exit, Airkax and Cosxette were now just getting up. "Ugh! My cloak is ruined! This is going to take two washings!" Cosxette pouted as Synn helped her up. Airkax on the other hand... "MY CLOAK!!!! MY BEAUTIFUL AND PERFECT CLOAK! LOOK! SAND STANDS ALL OVER MY PRESCIOUS 56,000 MUNNY TIE! IT'S RUINED! ALL RUINED!!!" Demyx couldn't help but shake his head side to side as he joined Axel in watching the dazed trio below. "Seems like he's a neat freak..." Axel nodded. "Let's get them while they're down!" Demyx returned a nod and the two leaped down behind the three trouble makers. Just as they landed, Synn glanced over her shoulder seeing them and quickly trusted her hand forward, summoning forth a portal. "You two... get to the Cave of Wonders and activate that crystal. That should cause this world to be buried in it's own sands and choke out its heart to us."

It didn't take long for the message to get across, and soon Airkax and Cosxette leapt into the open portal with it closing quickly behind them. Synn glared at Axel and Demyx, before tapping the ground. As she summoned forth her own portal, the sands gave forth to a hoard of monstrous briar vines with a life of their own, wiggling about and surrounding the two heroes from getting towards Synn. "Get back here wench!" Axel cried out, just as the last bits of portal disappeared. "Axel, use your fire!" Demyx responded and the pyro was quick to burn away all the vines. But their efforts were short-lived as more vines grew from the ashes of the burnt ones. "Damn it… they keep coming back!" Axel hissed under his breath. There was no way out into the desert with the vines blocking the exit. Demyx sighed, and sat down on the ground. "We can't portal… it'll send us into another world… and then it'll be too late. We'll never get there in time. I wish we could find a way somehow." Axel rubbed his left temple, sitting next to Demyx. "Well… hopeful wishing can only get you so far. Let's find another way out of the city. Maybe we can find a transport… or something." He shrugged, seeing how there wasn't much now they could do. It would seem the Darks won this round… or did they? Demyx kicked the sand a little with a boot, noticing something shiny in the sand. With a hand, he brushes off the yellow grains to reveal a strange golden oil lamp. "Eh?" He mumbled and rubbed the side with a thumb. Before Axel could say anything about the lamp, it exploded in bright blue smoke. Demyx yelped, dropping the lamp and ran back against the wall. "Oi! Ya know Al, I think we should have turned left at… aye! I don't think you're him." Spoke a new voice as the smoke cleared. Demyx and Axel were left with mouths wide open as they stared up at… "Genie! Wow, I didn't think you'd be out here! I thought you were with… "Demyx started in amazement before Axel calmly snatched Demyx's mouth close to prevent saying the dreaded S name in his presence. "What he means is, that you being here gave us a stuck of luck. We need a way to get over to some big cave out in the desert and stop some bad guys from harming this world. Don't mind lending us a hand?" Genie grinned. "Sure! I can give you a hand, how about a full audience of hands?" Suddenly he made a thousand genies appear, clapping and applauding to the two. "Ah… no. I mean, we need a hand at getting through the desert and stopping the bad guys and…" "Like a magic carpet ride!" Demyx blurted out. "Ohhh! Why didn't you say so!? I can fix that little problem! It just so happens I know a carpet…" Genie poofed into a giant whistle with a face, and created a large whistling noise. Within seconds, a flying carpet came buzzing in, landing next to Demyx and Axel's feet. "These boys need a ride to that ole Cave of Wonders. Double rush!" The carpet waved it's tassels at Genie as Axel and Demyx stepped aboard. "Thanks a lot Genie! We owe you one!" Demyx thanked cheerfully. "Shuck nothin', just tell my good buddy Sora I said 'Hiiiiiiiiiddeeeeeehoooooo!'!" The Genie said, making his voice echo as if he were a mountaineer. Axel took one finger and twist it in his ear to get some hearing back. "Will do! Ta-ta!" Demyx waved before the carpet flew at a high speed, bounding over the vines with ease.

"Slooooooowwwww down!" Poor Axel cried out while clinging to the end of the carpet, as it flapped in the breeze. He swore he was about to fall off, if it wasn't for Demyx's grip holding him down in place. "Hang on Axel! We're almost there!" The terrain below them flew by at very fast speeds, making the desert sands appear to meld and become a golden carpet in that split second before returning to the uniquely shaped sand dunes again. "I think I'm gonna lose lunch…" Axel moaned, trying to not focus at the moving desert but instead on the patterns on the carpet. "It'll be alright Axel! We'll make it!" Demyx encouraged Axel. "I hope so…" Demyx glanced up towards the horizon, wondering how long it will take to get there. Figuring the journey would last into the night, Demyx glanced down at his companion and decided to use conversation to speed the time. "Was it a deserty world where you lived as a Somebody Axel?" The pyro glanced up from trying to rest his head down to settle his stomach slightly. "Pardon?" "Did you live in a desert world like this one?" Demyx asked again. Axel shook his head. "No…. I lived…. I …" Demyx was patient, waiting for Axel to recall his lonely past. "Mountains… I remember the kingdom was surround by mountains… red stones… They were red like fire when the sun sets behind them." His eyes darted about, recalling more memories from the darkness. "I want to say… we had a forest valley… a river… There was… I think…" He sighed, unable to recall anything else. Demyx nodded, it was a start. "Did you visit these places?" "I don't remember…" "What about your parents? Do you remember your mother or father?" Axel's eyes suddenly glazed over, as if a painful reminder hit him square in the chest. "Mother?" Demyx nodded. "Yea… do you remember her? Was she kind?" As if a ghost tempted with the pyro, he nuzzled his face against his arm. "No… No. I don't remember…" When in fact… he did. Oh he so painfully did.

"Oh… was kinda hoping you did. I don't remember diddly squat about my past. I wish I could remember… but all I had when I became a Nobody was a name. That's it. I would have liked to of hear some of your past… You know, to past the time. I don't think we'll be there any time soon." Axel sighed and shrugged his shoulders, turning his head away to watch the desert horizon. Closing his eyes, he allowed a bit of his memories to replay a rare moment in his hearted life that was filled with something he missed: happiness…

"_Lea…Lea. Come to Mommy. You can make it! Come on, show Mommy you can cross the bridge Daddy built." A soothing, calm voice full of life and love called out to a red headed child who wasn't so sure about the small wooden bridge over the cheek he played in near his home. He looked up at the woman wearing a lavender dress with draping white sleeves like dove wings. Her eyes were the deepest of emerald green, hair long and smooth as silk, in the color of a golden yellow. Her arms held out to the child, smile on her small lips as she patiently waited for the toddler. He had a look of uncertainty about him, but his mother was there… on the other side. It shouldn't be all that bad? He stood up from the high grass, his face now smiling and with his tiny hands held out in the air, began to waddle towards his mother. "That's right sweetie… Mommy's here. Mommy's here to help you. Come to Mommy Lea." She said in that sweet voice like morning dew and honey. Oh how he loved to hear her speak. She was his and Daddy's world. He had momentarily forgotten the small toy wood bridge, having crossed it in a small jogging gate and landed into his mother's open arms. "Yay! You did it Lea, you did it!" She cheered, holding him in the air and swinging him around in circles. He clapped and squealed in delight, enjoying the light petals of the blossoms from the apple trees to land on his hair. He couldn't of been more happy than to be with his mother… until he felt the world come rushing up to him. It was only seconds for it to happen… but to him, time slowed to a crawl as he landed to the ground, watching his mother fall with him, landing next to him with her emerald eyes closed, face pale and lips opened slightly to allow a small trickle of red to flow out from the corner. She was breathing slowly, as if being crushed by nothing and he started to panic, crying at the top of his voice for her. "Mama! Mama! Mamaaaa!" He screamed over and over again, hot tears rushing from his own emerald eyes. It wasn't long before his father came to their aid… and it would be a painful two years to watch his mother…slip away…_

Axel sighed, choking back words he wanted to shout out. Instead, he merely tightens his fists, and blurted out a word. "…Apples…" Demyx snapped out of his own daydreaming to gaze down at the once silent pyro during this trip. "Apples?" Demyx repeated. Axel glanced back over to Demyx, but his eyes didn't meet with those blue eyes. "I remember… there was an apple orchid… but it was when I was three. I can't remember if my Father owned it or not… just that one memory… with that… person." "Oh? Who was that person? Someone you knew?" Demyx asked. Axel shook his head. "No…" He lied.

Night had descended over the desert. Just over a large sand dune was the way into the shallow area of surrounding dunes protecting the tiger face entrance of the Cave of Wonders. Its mouth was agape, having been forced open by the dark forces at work. A few mindless Dusks stood around its mouth, waiting and watching for any intruders. They wiggled about in their ways, listening for any sound. When they heard the footsteps of a being, they all suddenly jerked about and faced down the stairways leading inside the cave. Cosxette appeared for one last inspection, humming to herself out of boredom. She had half expected the fools to follow, but with it being the middle of the night, she found solace in their Dark plans to be complete after all. "Continue on standby." She ordered the Dusks, which all returned back to staring out into the desert nightscape. Cosxette turned back down inside the cave, to inform the other two that all was a full steam ahead. Or so she would have to believe. Just outside the sandy rim, Axel and Demyx laid low, observing the entrance and the number of targets. "We can't attack head on Axel… they'll hear us." Axel nodded to Demyx's words. "Gotta do something in stealth, but quick. Can't let those Darkies get away with their plan." Demyx watched the Dusks below, frowning at the sight. Once upon a time, he could order them about… now, he was their enemy. How could it come to this? "Axel… I have an idea… You have to distract them." "What good will that do us?" Demyx winked at him with a smile and whispered his plan into the other's ear. "Ohh…." He whispered back.

The Dusks continued to waver side to side, bored in their heads. But suddenly to their left, appeared a tall figure in white with its hood up. "Hey! Over here ya idgits! A Lightie nobody all alone and defenseless! I betcha can't hit me with one blow! Come and get some!" He shouted, turning around and slapping his behind in insult. The Dusks all turned their heads and immediately leapt towards the figure, whom dodged the attack. He grinned and watched as the Dusks started walking towards him in that weird, dancing sort of style. Suddenly, the Dusks all stopped, and seemed to do a jig instead of walking. The more they struggled… the further they sank in quicksand. Demyx was nearby Axel, and had conjured up enough liquid from deep below the sands to form a puddle of slush and muck to get the Dusks stuck. No matter how much they fought against the sand, the more they started to disappear beneath it. It never occurred to them to portal out and soon, only a few had they're heads sticking out. By then, Axel and Demyx had already made it to the cave's opening. "Ready water boy?" Axel asked sarcastically. Demyx shrugged. "You first… 'Flamer'." He grinned back, watching the pyro roll his eyes and start his descent down the steep and dangerous stairways.

Airkax fumed over his cloak, pacing back and forth as he attempted at straightening the winkles out with his hands. Now how was he going to explain this to Superior Xariaha? Synn watched him from a perched pedestal, with a not so pleasant look in her eyes. "Will you stop that?" She groaned. Airkax rolled his eyes. "Well excuse me… Miss Warrior Princess! I like my cloaks crisp and clean thank you!" He said with a snobby attitude and stuck his nose up in the air. Synn turned her gaze away, whispering "then what are you doing in this group of idiots?" to herself. She changed her gaze to Cosxette, as she appeared from a doorway into the great room. "They've not followed us. Obviously, they've given up and we can now proceed." The other two nobodies nodded, and the three turned their attention to the gaping key shaped hole in a wall. Within it, swirling masses of greens, reds, and blues amongst black. A wicked smile appeared on Airkax's lips as he summoned his weapon forth into his hand. "I'll be the one to rip this world's heart out…." He said. "Not if I can help it!" Axel and Demyx suddenly fell in from nowhere, attacking with flames and water head on. It was to fast for Airkax to dodge and was hit by both, receiving a few burns and cuts. Synn and Cosxy leapt in for the attack, but were met head first into a geyser Axel and Demyx formed together. The hot water burn them, shoving the girls into a wall. "Think some weeds are gonna stop us?" Demyx trilled as he started to jam into some heavy metal, causing all sorts of pillars of water to rise and attack the dark trio. There was no time to counterattack, being attacked from all sides. Once they were surrounded by a wall of water… Axel burst through with his chakrams, slicing through all in his path. "Grr… I'll show that bastard!" Airkax snarled, ready to summon forth his powers to crush Axel's body in two without lifting a finger. But the pyro had other ideas. With a silent smirk, he raised both chakrams into the air, and the pair set ablaze. As they started to spin around his body that was catching fire itself… Airkax was quick to halt his attack. "GAH! He's going KAMAKAZI! Everyone back to the castle!" Summoning forth a portal, Airkax rushed inside, abandoning his mission for his unlife. "Wait! Don't leave us girls behind!" Cosxy came to follow quickly after him, and Synn only glared at Axel before escaping as well. Better to live and heal wounds than turn into barbeque. Within moments the three portals closed for good.

Axel stopped his trick, making the others think he was committing a sacrificial attack again. He blinked and watched the portals disappear, waiting to see if they would come back. Once he was certain they wouldn't show their ugly heads back again, he viewed over his shoulder to Demyx, and held up a victory hand sign. "Score another point to the good guys! I can not believe what wimps they are. Man, if Xemnas was here, he'd call them all disgraces and turned them all into Dusks on the spot!" Demyx nodded, but then gazed up at the keyhole. "I dunno about that Axel. Something tells me that they're saving back most of their strength… maybe for major fighting." "Like what?" Axel pouted. "You know… against the real Light Organization? There is a war going on, right? And we're caught in the middle of it… right?" Axel paused, looking down at the ground, thinking over the events up to now. "Yeah… you got a point. Alright… I say the next Lightie we see, we pull his ass over and ask for aid. Much as I don't like the idea… we ain't exactly back under Xemnas's reign. More higher nobodies… more trouble. So… now what?" Demyx pointed to the keyhole. "Lock the world so the Darks won't take the heart?" Axel looked over at the structure then gave Demyx a blank look. "Does it look like I'm a Keyblader? No." Demyx sighed, but then gazed back up at the keyhole and approached it. Axel took some interest in this and watched them. Tilting his head to one side, Demyx noticed something at the bottom of the hole shape. Music notes. "I don't believe this!" He said and pulled out his sitar. Studying the notes, he plucked each chord correctly, until an inspiration inside him continued the song past the seven notes. Axel's eyes widen, seeing Demyx play an Arabic type song that was beaty… and dance worthy. Before the pyro knew what was going on, he found himself dancing with his chakrams to Demyx's music, which had gained full swing. Once the song ended, the two held their weapons towards the keyhole. Two beams of light, blue and red, shot from the ends of their weapons, and into the keyhole, seaming it with the purity of water and fire. "We did it Axel! We figured out how to lock away the worlds too weak to hold up against the darkness!" Axel nodded to Demyx, and returned his chakrams away. "Yeah… I haven't danced like that in ages." Demyx smirked back with a nod. Then, with one hand, Axel opened up a portal, leading to another randomly selected world. "Off again, shall we?" He teased. "You bet! I wanna see more places we can help out!" He said and walked into the portal, Axel following close behind.

But lurking in the shadows of the cavern…. a evil was waiting… watching the two heroes… savoring their chance to strike and eventually… kill Axel and Demyx off forever.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Very long and detailed paragraphs are to be expected.

Airkax, Cosxetta, Synnxthene, Xariaha, and Xenerox belong to their respectful owners, Orixon belongs to me.

Warnings: slight language

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The three seperate portals opened on a lone balcony on top The Castle That Never Was. All at once, Cosxetta, Synn, and Airkax all lept through, carefully not to damage their injures any further. The trio grumbled and stood up, dusting off cloaks of any loose sand still clinging to their cloaks. "Well.. that went well...Pssh..." Synn said in a aggitated state of mind. She sneered at the other two before walking off into the castle. Obviously she had gone to her bed chambers to nurse her cuts and burns alone in privacy. Airkax watched her, looking like a cat that just escaped a fight with a bigger tomcat, except that he managed to keep his face clear of cuts. "Wasn't my fault! I told you to back off before the flames, but did you listen? Nooo! No one listens to me!" "Because you're the LOWEST RANK!" Synn shouted over her shoulder, making Airkax back away a few feet, eyes wide. Her eyes narrowed at him, before Cosxetta ran in between the quarrel. "Come on, we're all licked, let's save our negative energy on Lighties next time we fight against them. How about we just cool our heads off before we attract our resident pyro over." She said, hands in the air as if to calm the lower ranks down. It worked and Synn turned her back to them, slipping into a dark enterance. "Whatever, I'll be in my room. Don't bother me for some time... I need my alone time." Cosxetta glanced back at Airkax, who side glanced away. "I'll cool down out here..." He mumbled, as if his nonexistant pride had been shot. "Fine... see you later then." Airkax nodded to the reply, waiting till he was sure that the sound of footsteps were gone inside.

Once all was silent again, the purple headed nobody turned to his right and descended down a flight of stairs, to reflex over his mistakes from the battle. "They're getting stronger with each world they pass... absorbing the disgusting goodness from them. Soon not even the Superior will be able to stop them, if their Darkness haven't by then." He said to no one, the balconies and stairways were deserted... or were they? Airkax passed by a empty space bewteen two columns, so focused on the gray stone floor that he failed to see a dark cloaked being suddenly materialize from that wall like a chamelleon from a camoflaged status. The hooded nobody stalked the other, creeping behind him very dramatically. But when Airkax senced the presence of another, he turned around, only to find nothing behind him. He blinked then shrugged with a unimpressed look on his face before continuing his walk. The Dark Organization statue rippled from behind and the hooded nobody appeared again from his hiding place. A few more steps and Airkax swore he could sence the breath of another along his neck. He snapped his head to the left; nothing. The right? Nothing. "Something's not right... " He whispered. "Boo!" Airkax gasped as he came face to faced with the hooded figure and leaped back like a crazed feline. "AHHHHHHHH!" He cried out in surprised, only to have the figure snag his frail body in a firm hold. Airkax could of fought back, though he knew exactly who it was, just by judging by the figure's tall size alone, being one of the few tallest ones of the Darks.

"Don't DO that Ori-sama! You nearly gave me..." "A heart-attack?" Orixon finished as he removed his hood with one arm. "Kinda ironic eh?" He winked and let go of Airkax who quickly brushed off his coat's wrinkles and anything dusty. "Oro?" Orixon reached over, snagging Airkax by the arm before the smaller nobody could complain and saw the last remaining evidence of battle cuts and dried blood before his healing powers healed his skin completely over perfectly. "Ohhh. Did my wittle Kakky-waxy get into a fight today? Aww... he got a boo-boo. Just needs a bandaid and a kiss from mama to make it all better." The illusionist teased. Kax, as his nickname was used more by Orixon than the rest of everyone, suddenly brust into a blush mode, and studdered in his speech. "H-hey! Come on, don't... play that with m-me! I was licked hard! I really was!" Orixon bent over, pretending to fuss and inspect the woulds closer like a protective mother. "But you know you like being teased... Alright I just have to stop then eh? Need some alone time, well fine by me." He let go of Kax and turned his back to him. It wasn't a few seconds and Orixon stopped to find Kax clinging to his arm. "Oh Ori-sama, don't go yet! I just got back and I really don't want to face Superior about how I failed a mission with Synn and Cosxetta. Please stay a little longer?! I haven't seen you in a long while." He looked up and grinned like a cheshire cat, tugging at Orixon's sleeve. It was odd, seeing this scene. Despite his tall size, Orixon was younger than Airkax, being only 21 years of age while Airkax had become a nobody at his late 20's. Though it was apparent who was in charge in their little "circle."

"Well… alright. I guess I could waste a few more minutes out here. I got laundry to do later on… Maybe you can help me… get them squeaky _clean_." He exaggerated on the word clean, whispering it in a tone of voice that sent special chills down Kax's spine. He chuckled lightly, looking like a child in a candy store. "Ohh, I 'love' it when you say such things Ori-sama." Kax responded. Orixon nodded and jerked a thumb towards a flight of outside stairs. Kax followed right beside him, smirking as they went. "So tell me… were you expecting me? Is that why you were outside?" "Half true…" Orixon mumbled. He turned a dull green eye to Kax and winked it. "I've got some plans…" "Plans? What plans Ori? What are you up to this time? Augh, you're gonna get us in trouble again for following your stupid plans. Just like last time!" Kax pouted. "Okay, so throwing those water balloons filled with molasses at Lilix was a bad idea… though I thought it was funny!" "And what about the plan before that!?" "How was I suppose to Sabi was in the swimig pool!? I swear I didn't take any pictures….. in color." "ORI!" Kax barked. Orixon held up his hands, admitting this little defeat. "Okay, okay. I get the hint. Though remember how we got Maraxus completely coated in flour then after he entered the kitchen for a snack after swimming!? HA, that was some good laughs!" Kax couldn't help it, and cracked a smile. "Yeah, well… I will admit that was kinda funny. But then we got stuck with bathroom cleaning duty for a week and a half!" Orixon merely groaned, before leaning over the side of the stairway railing, staring down into the Dark City below. "Yeah, well… Xariaha was home at the time. Need to pull pranks when he's NOT in the 'crib'." Kax rolled his yellow eyes. "Yer not ghetto Ori-sama. I'd prefer if you quit that."

The Illusionist held his chin, staring down at Kax. "Okay... well.. anyways... I've got some plans in the crock pot simmering at the moment... and will be served when the time is right. But I can't do this alone... I need you're expertise... Ya know. Persuasion over some of our 'compadres'." Kax lifted an eyebrow. "Like who?" "Synn and Cosxy... We've gain their trusts and hopefully their loyalities... everyone else won't care or have strong ties to Xari-ruffle face." Orixon grinned as if proud of his plan. "Ah huh... You know, you shouldn't be talking about Superior like that with the name calling behind his back. What if he's listening to us?" "Psst! You 'worry' to much Kakky... Xari's either in the Throne Room taking a nap or barking at the other top half rankers or up in the Alter of Naught being "Mr. Xemnas" again. Trust me... he wouldn't be on _**this**_ of the castle baconies even if it gave him back his heart... This is low ranking quarters." Kax couldn't help but stare at the stone ground while taking his right arm, wrap over his back and rub up and down his left shoulder and arm. "Still... It's risky.. Superior hasn't been himself lately and it's getting everyone here real antsy. Like we're finally, actually going to war instead of sending lessers out..." "Wuss..." The purple head stared up at Orixon with a false expression of 'What did you just call me' look. "What did you..." He started to say before being snagged by the right arm, and the illusionist leaned in closer. "Now... now..." He whispered into Kax's ear, sending more chills down his back. "You know as well as I know...war IS going to start no matter what... it's a decoy for the Superior's prey to step forward... and give herself up on a silver platter... Who cares about the wussy Lights... It's that _**one**_. I know Xariaha's plans with her..." "How?" "Trade secret... if you want to really know more... then gather Synn and Cosxy in approximately two hours after dinner in the Addled Impasse room. Ya know.. the big room with the equally big window looking out to Kingdom Hearts." "Ya mean the room where.." "Yeah... where ole' Saix took a shot of 'moonshine' and soon dropped dead by too much exposure." Orixon smirked another time.

Kax nodded. "Okay... should I inform to keeps auras down to undetectable levels so Xariaha won't notice us in there?" Ori leaned in closer. "I 'love' the way you think sometimes..." The smaller nobody chuckled but then stopped abruptly. Orixon has leaned in, and delivered a small peck to the cheek bone, causing Airkax to blush super red. "Our little 'bond'... not even Xariaha's orders can't break it... remember that..." Airkax nodded. "I'll inform the girls..." He said, and quickly portaled on the spot. Orixon huffed a single laugh, placed both hands to his hips and strutted back inside the castle through the nearest door. Afterall, he had fve loads of laundry waiting for him. 

However... another was waiting. It was not a few balconies and stairways above, that a dark figure had peered down and watched the whole thing between Eleven and Thirteen with his horrid black ebony eyes. A fist tighten and relaxed in repeated patterns, still glaring down at the same spot where the lower ranks had stood. If there was one thing Xariaha despised in his organization, it was his ranks plotting behind his back. The Superior finally moved his eyes away from below, now focusing back upon the pale light of Kingdom Hearts. Millions of fresh hearts floated towards its radience, collected and stored to be turned into vast power. "It seems the road to success has started to see cracks in its foundation... We can not have a mere crack go unnotice. Lest we have a sink hole to fall into. Do we... my Kingdom Hearts? No, can not have the mistakes of Xemnas shadow over my back... even it comes in the forms of idiots as they are... Soon enough, anything they hide will be sought out and exposed. Their efforts will amount to nothing... just like this world... this castle... this... nonexistence..." He explained to what seemed noone, holding his arms up to examine them when speaking of nonexistence. On cue, a deep black portal opened in the center of the Alter of Naught, and out came two nobodies in the blackest of black cloaks with the hoods up. The ones Xariaha had hired and had been in Traverse Town some time ago... "You keep talking to yourself like that and you're definately end up like ole' Xemmy... D-E-A-D.. Got it..." "Enough." Xariaha said as he turned around, facing the leaner of the two. "What of them?" "Them as in 'Little Pyro and his Water baby?' Eh, seems words getting out through the worlds... heroes are on the lookout for them, to lend a hand. What's worse... had a Twilight boy step in back in the Underworld." Explained the tall lean figure.

Xariaha narrowed his eyes. "Twilight? Hmm..." He turned back around to face Kingdom Hearts again. "Was he alone or... did his own kind gave assistance? It is a Twilight's nature to hold... a hand out in case they need another to help. They've mastered the art of combining elemental powers together... and this power... is a threat to us all. Go.. stop those against you as I have ordered and be rid of them immediately. Without them... the Neutrals will be vunerable. The Lights will make a move... prehaps to protect them... when that happens... the Dark Organization will attack and gurantee the prize." The second figure glance at his partner then to Xariaha. "Any particular way you wish to dispose Axel and Demyx?" "Whatever means... be creative as you are..." If one could see into the pitch darkness of those hoods, they would see a pair of evil shape tooth grins. There was no need at least... to see their eyes glowing red under those hoods. "As you wish sir..." The first nodded before turning to leave. "Word has it.. the wanna be heroes will soon be taking tea with the Queen of Hearts... sounds like they'll die from their own insanity..." He added before opening that portal and he and his partner slipped through, disappearing all together. Now Xariaha was deadly silent... and when he was silent, one knew he was thinking deadly thoughts... how to make the blow even harsh? They said the more... the deadlier... and he had _just_ the deadly member. "It would seem the enemy has the upper hand for now... precious Kingdom Hearts. But they do not truely know pain... for they have not encounter... Xenerox."

The Dark Superior then raised his right hand to the side, and snapped his fingers. Within a few seconds, a new portal opened, but no figure stepped through. Instead the figure appeared as the portal disappeared over him. This one was nearly as tall as Xariaha, but his cloak was for a lack of better words... seen better days. The sleeves were torn and ripped, the skirt ends had holes and what appeared to be claw marks in large sections. But then, there was also stains that managed to set out from the black in a shade darker. Yet this was not any dress code worries for the Superior, he knew about his member's 'personalities'... The hood was halfway down, covering only the eyes of the face. Which... was probably for the best. Trickling down one corner of his mouth... was fresh blood and it was not his own. "Master..." His voice was a light, whispy sound, as if he barely spoke at all. "May... I ask what summons me to you from my feasting?" Xariaha did not turn around, but spoke back none the less to one of his most loyal ranks, despite it being the tenth. "Xenerox... I require your assistance. Do you not know of the Prophecy of Final Endings?" "That I do... You've spoken to me many a time, Master..." Xariaha smirked wickedly and nodded. "Good.. then keep your memory as sharp as your powers and strenght. I've summoned you forth... to deliver a deadly blow... two must be exterminated if not stopped from keeping our many goal from being accomplished. You understand whom I speak of, do you not?" Xenerox released a low grumble in his throat, and slightly bared fanged teeth at no one. "The ones from the old organization of beginings... The ones summoned with harden Dragon's Tear stones that would bring back order and... stop Kingdom Hearts... What are your wishes... my Master?" "Do whatever it best pleases your... 'sences' if you will... Consider these two... your new targets. A better chase I do believe.. worth to be considered prey." A evil grin came from the hooded one. "As you wish, my Master... I shall strike when they least expect it... By the moon's embracing glow... I shall... hunt them down. Whatever best pleases you..." Xariaha soon turned around to face Xenerox and nodded. "Indeed..." A wicked grin, and the man bowed before Xariaha, disappearing from sight in a portal.

Xariaha returned to gazing up at Kingdom Hearts, knowing that Fire and Water don't stand a chance against a Lunar... especially a true... werewolf Lunar...


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Lilix belongs to her respectful owner, the unknown nobody belongs to me.

Warnings: slight language

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"Axel?" "Hm?" "Please hold my hand... I can't see where I'm going..." Axel stopped abruptly in the pitch darkness they were in, feeling Demyx bump into him from behind. "Say wha now!?" He grumbled back. "Hold your hand? Are you nuts!?" In the darkness, Axel could barely make out Demyx's attempt at a puppy face, complete with big anime eyes near tearing up and so doing the 'pity me' look. Axel glared down, only to turn his gaze away with the still stone face and thrusted his left arm to the side, snatching Demyx's hand into his own. "Word gets out, you're a dead man Demyx. Got it memorized!? D-E-A-D!" Demyx nodded and followed at Axel's pace, surprisingly keeping quiet for the majority of the walk. After a some time later, Demyx hummed to himself before speaking up. "I think we came to late... there's nothing but pitch black here Axel. I think... we lost this world.. whatever it was." Letting go of Demyx's hand, the pyro stepped forward and set his right hand ablaze. Finally there was some spark of light, illuminating only each other. "I think you maybe right Demyx... I can't see anything." Demyx frowned and took a turn at wandering about. "Helloooooo! Helloooooo!" He called out after cupping his hands together around his mouth. He turn behind him to grin at Axel. "You need to try it out! The echo is cool!" Axel merely rolled his eyes. "We're not here to play echo Demyx... let's just open a new portal and hit the next world, alright?" A sigh escaped from the blonde's chest and nodded, seemingly 'disappointed' at the short life of his fun in a otherwise bleak world. "So... where's the next portal?" Axel waved his free hand around in the darkness in front of him. "Dunno... feeling for it... Kinda don't want to jump in blindly like the first time we tried. Last thing I need is to have us seperated again. Really don't want a repeat and have that Ori-jerkoff breathing down my neck." "Aw Aku... don't let that whiny Darkie get you down." Demyx started. "I know, but that one in particular, I could of swore we've met befooorrrrreeeeee!!!!!"

Suddenly, without warning, Axel just disappeared to the 'floor'. His voice still trailing as he fell downward. "Axel!" Demyx panicked, following suit. He gazed down the now apparent hole, watching as Axel's flame dimmed to nothing. "Axel! I'm coming for ya buddy!" He shouted down the hole, and leapt through. Faster and faster the two fell until they both fell together. "Demyx!" Axel shouted, holding both hands out to the hydro, flame gone to prevent burning him. "Grab my hands!" The blonde didn't have to be told twice, and snatched Axel's hands tightly. "Don't let go Axel! Don't let go!" They continued to fall, as if there was no end to it. But then, as if being caught by a mysterious force, they bounced slightly in the air, somehow uprighting themselves and floated downward still holding hands. As they floated downwards, all sorts of wall hanging clocks appeared, ticking away various times by the hours, minutes, and seconds. Grandfather clocks, train station clocks, cuckoo clocks, and many more were among the floating colective as they floated downward. The darkness around them soon turned into a plush red and yellow diamond pattern wall. As they floated downward, they could see the round area of a circular room with walls. Landing softly, the two gazed around the room. Picture frames holding paintings and pictures of rabbits, stuffed rabbit toys, rabbit collectibles. "Obviously someone here is obssesed with the raisin makers..." Demyx blinked at Axel. "I didn't know rabbits make raisins! No wonder they taste yummy in the raisin bagels Xaldin made at breakfast sometimes!" Axel shook his head. "Wrong kind of raisins twurp."

He was about to follow down the hallway with more clocks and rabbit memorabilia, when he just now noticed his hand still held Demyx's. The hydro still didn't seem to notice as well. Axel gazed back at the hand, and wasn't sure to give the blonde a reassuring squeeze or to pry away. He took the latter choice. Ripping his hand back quickly, he shook it and gave Demyx a bewildered look. "You didn't have to keep holding my hand you know! We're on solid ground now!" "Oh! I'm sorry Axel, I wasn't paying attention!" Demyx returned with a goofy grin, before following Axel down the hallway. "So there was a world afterall! I guess they use that void to hide in so no one can find it!" "Doesn't mean the Heartless can still find it. Makes it slightly harder for Nobodies, but Heartless... can't keep them out forever..." Demyx merely nodded, taking in all the pictures and items along the walls. "Are we there yet?" "No." Axel stated. "Are we there yet?" "No." "Are we..." "Say "Are we there yet?" one more time and I'm flaming your ass BIG time!" Axel whirled around and snapped at Demyx, who recoiled with wide eyes and a small whimper to comply. After a few more steps, they found light at the end of the hallway tunnel and dashed through. It took a few seconds for their eyes to adjust to the bright light, and once they could see better they were beheld to a small cottage style house. A quant bistro table sat in front with two chairs, a small bed that no normal being could fit in, a dresser and clock, and a cute fireplace though it hadn't been lit in ages. The two explored the room, until they came to a very small door down near the floor. "Now how can a person fit through that tiny thing of a door?" Axel blurted out in the silence of the exploration. Demyx shrugged before taking a seat at one of the chairs.

As Axel observed the door, Demyx took notice to a small box and a bottle, one labeled "Eat me" the other "Drink me". Opening the box, he found several small sweets that looked like tarts will cherry fillings. "Hey Axel... check these out!" The pyro glanced up, giving Demyx a blank look. "Always thinking with your stomach Demyx? No..." "Aw come on! Don't you wanna just try a nibble?" "NO!" Axel snapped, his head shaking slightly like a lion's mane. He was about to grab the door knob, when he backed off at it... snoring. Somehow this doorknob had a face, its keyhole its mouth, snoring away a storm. "Now that's something you don't see back home... or anywhere for that matter." He whispered. He then proceded to poke the door. "Hey... um, doorknob... Wake up will ya? We want to get through..." The doorknob yawned then glanced up at Axel without a care. "Well... you won't get through anytime soon at that size you're at. This is a rabbit house... and I'm not in the mood for opening up anytime soon. So goodnight..." It explained before yawning back to sleep. "Hey! Helloooo! Hey! Hey! Wake up! Hey! This is Axel speaking to you! Yo! Earth to Doorknob... gain access please!?" Axel demanded but to no avail. With a groan, he stood up turning to Demyx only to panic. "Demyx! What are you doing!?" Demyx glanced up, holding a tart mere inches to his mouth about to bite down. "Awww, please Axel? Just one? No one will notice. Here... I'll break mine in half and share it with you!" Demyx pleaded before breaking his tart in half, handing it to Axel. The redhead held the half in his hand, still giving Demyx a 'concern' look. "Okay fine... but don't come crying to me if we get caught." The blond nodded and stuffed his half in one bite while Axel took his time chewing it down. "That was tasty Axel! So sweet... and cherry tasting... and... and... I think I feel funny." "Shut up... I'm getting the same thing... damnit Demyx! You had to pick out the one that's oooooollllllllllddddddddd!!!"

All at once, the world around Axel and Demyx seemed to sky rocket downwards, becoming smaller and smaller. Axel nearly cried out when he banged his back up against the ceiling, still pushing upwards so he hunched over to prevent tearing through the roof. It all became clear when he opened one eye and veiwed the room. The bistro table and chairs, and everything else was dollhouse size. He tried to turn his head to the right, only to bump into something soft and black. He blinked a few times, noticing it move about slightly and began to be quite comfortable with the softness and warmth. "Ekk! Ah! Ah! Hot candle lamp! Hot candle lamp!" Demyx whimpered out, moving slightly as well. Of course his movement just happened to be insync with Axel's soft warm black pillow... So, it wasn't a pillow. At first, Axel just stood there, haunched over and just now realizing he had his chin resting ontop of Demyx's bum, until he snapped out of it with the odd delay and spoke up the proper responce. "Demyx... get your ass out of my face before I roast it off you." "Epp! Sorry Axel!" Demyx tried to move away, but barely moved out, only managing to turn around and face Axel. "Axel... we're... we're giants! How'd we get so tall!? I can barely move in this place without the thought of ripping through the place!" Axel glance down at the treats on the table that still stayed. "Idiot... you had to eat one of those tarts did you?!" "Me!? You ate the other half! You're just at fault as I am Aku!" Demyx barked back, butting foreheads with Axel's. "Well then Mr. Melodious Genius... FIX THE PROBLEM!" The pyro snarled. The blonde backed off slightly, attempting to crouch down to look at the table's contents. "There's a bottle here. Say's "Drink me". Maybe that'll bring us to normal?" Axel nodded and reached down, scooping up the bottle carefully. "Here's nothing..." He said, drinking a tiny sip before passing it to Demyx to sip.

Just as Demyx placed the bottle back on the table, the two of them felt inside them a lurching feeling, and just as they grew, shrank down like a rocket. But something was wrong. The two continued to shrink down pass their normal height, getting more and more smaller. "Whoa! Stop! Stop! Stop! We're small enough!!! STOPPPPP!" Axel cried out until he was sure that he was no more than seven inches tall off the ground. The world around them now was huge, and for once Axel now knew what mice had to go through. "Okay... now what? Should we climb up that chair and try again with the hocus pocus munchies again Demyx?" Axel asked. Demyx looked about, before pointing towards a corner. "Not yet! Lookie! Another way out!" The blonde raced over towards the sqaure hole in the wall, waiting for Axel. "Comeon! I can see a light down there!" He waved back to Axel. The red head looked back up at the table, then towards Demyx, before looking towards that strange hallway enterance. "This is one messed up world..." He mumbled to himself then turning to his partner and followed inside. The two continued down the black tunnel, watching that white light at the end grow larger. Within minutes they entered a well kept garden at their size. "Okay, now I know we're in some pot smoker's realm. How did we go from small to back to normal size again?" Axel complained. Demyx could only shrugged as they continued down the garden pathways until they came upon a strange sight. Cards standing side to side, complete with heads, arms, and legs. In their hands were spears with the symbol of which part of the deck they were at the tips. They glanced at Axel and Demyx, but said nothing nor moved toward them in any way. "Yep... We've fallen into Luxord's imagination. Next you'll be seeing abunch of British peeps running about the place." Axel mumbled.

Walking through the strange garden, the two suddenly came into contact with what appeared to be a outdoor courtroom with the rose bushes and plants all growing in the shape of a judge's stand and whatnot. More card soldiers stood about, but they were not at Axel and Demyx's attention. Sitting on top of the rosey stand, was what appeared to be the ugliest, fat queen they ever laid their eyes on. "And who... dares to enter MY gardens!?" The queen boomed as she spotted the pair. Demyx smiled and waved. "Pleased to meet you! We were just trying to find our way out of..." "YOUR WAY? Everything here is MY way!" Demyx's eyes widen and his smile wiped off in seconds. "Oh sorry... I didn't meant to upset you.. uh... your majesty?" He whimpered. "SILENCE! I, the Queen of Hearts will not allow such imbecilic behavior in my court! OFF WITH HIS... OH! And you might YOU be?" She was about to doom Demyx with decapitation, that is until she saw the lovely, flowing locks known as Axel's hair. Axel blinked, unsure if she was speaking to him or not. "Me?" He pointed and she batted her eyelids, nodding. "Yes, you... what's a pretty head like you to come into my court this fine day?" Axel was at lost for words, that is until he saw a white rabbit hop over and whispered to them. "The Queen admires anything red. You can use your hair to that advantage." And thus hopped back to his position. "Oh? Me? Well... me and my little buddy Demyx here are passing through, looking around for no good-doers." Axel spoke up with a grin on his face, as long as he gained favorism from the Queen, no harm would befall them. "Ah, I see... well. I know not of anything unusual in my court. But elsewhere in Wonderland I have been told of black creatures running around and causing my kingdom misfortune. Are you the cause of them!?" Axel quickly rushed up slightly. "Oh no! You see, we travel all over the...er... place in search of those monsters and destroy them before they cause some serious problems across the...er... lands. So, uh... with your majesty's permission, my partner and I would like to investigate your kingdom and bring back a little peace into the world." The Queen of Hearts just batted her thick eyelashes at Axel and wavered her heart shaped fan towards a few card soldiers. At once they stepped aside, reveiling a dark enterance way out of the gardens. "There is the forest, where you may find those pesky creatures causing mayhem once again on my kingdom! I shall even reward you should you get the job done quickly. Bring me proof that it's these black creatures and not that horrible girl Alice!" Axel slightly bowed, and snatched Demyx. "Will do, your majesty." He said as he and Demyx quickly exited out from the Queen of Heart's courtyard and into the dark forest.

After a while of walking through the dark woods, Demyx glanced at Axel. "Thanks for saving me Axel... I thought for sure she was gonna cut my head off." Axel shrugged. "Don't mention it..." "Where did you learn to be so... good like that?" The pyro raised a red eyebrow. "What do you mean?" Demyx glance off with a shrug. "When you were talking to her, you bowed so gracefully and almost respectfully. This... isn't your homeworld is it Axel?" "What!? No! Hell no! I'd of killed myself long ago way before losing my heart if this was my world. It's under the catagory of creepy and messed-up." Demyx blinked, looking at his comrade while stepping over fallen logs. "Well then... how do you explain that whole..." "Do I need to go into detail Demyx? My true homeworld had a kingdom with a royal family that I had to impress with my skills in combat when the war was at it's worst..." The blonde haulted, watching Axel as he glanced back and gave Demyx a confused look. "...Your not..." Demyx started, but seemed to keep the rest of his question hidden. "Not what?" The younger nobody closed his eyes, shaking his head side to side as he caught up with Axel. "Nevermind..."

Axel gave Demyx a questionable look before his attention drew back to dark forest in front of them. Without warning, heartless appeared and scambled towards the duo, ready to do battle. Axel smirked and Demyx let out a small laugh. "They think they're gonna defeat us, eh Axel?" Demyx asked, water swirling about his hands ready to form his beloved sitar.The pyro let out a fake yawn, waiting for the heartless shadows to creep closer. "Ya know... chakrams are overrated right now, I just want to BURN!" The hand that held to his gapping mouth in that yawn suddenly aimed at a leaping heartless and fire erupted from his palm, incinerating the creature to nothing. He smirked at Demyx before charging forth, using only the element he was 'born' with instead of his chakrams to do the damage. Demyx stood there with his lips parted in silent awe. But the sitar player realize why Axel chosed not to use his chakrams. They were gaining plenty of strenght from their weapons but in a sence their elements were still to weak to go against any more Darks should they appear soon. So sucking in wind, Demyx charged forth, selecting his own brood of heartless to practice his powers on. The larger soldier heartless attack, and he held out his hand, jetting out a heavy spray of water and slamming three in a row against a tree until the pressure crushed them to smoke.

But it was in this moment that Demyx seemed to slow down in his attacks, those two ocean blue eyes fixated on the living flame in flesh and blood dance about with his hot touch of death against the pests that dared enter in his presence. It was almost mesmorizing, watching Axel perform his fire attacks that Demyx caught himself with mouth slightly opened in awe. Or was it just admiration instead of? No, he couldn't be.. and shaking his head violently to rid him of thoughts of seeing Axel's coat ignite, falling to pieces to reveal that chiseled out chest tanned golden and gleaming with sweat... "Damn it Aku... you're too hot for your own good... no wonder why you were the life of the party back then..." He whispered, making sure Axel did not hear him as another outburst of Heartless attacked from behind. He whipped around, leaving his attention on the pyro onto the pesky shadows and soldiers and summoned forth geysers of water to rise and smack them into the giant trees. He smirked, building up some sort of hidden confidence. However, as he used the column of water to hit another shadow, he saw a black gloved hand reach out and wrapped around his arm. Heat rose and Demyx's water was steaming from the ground up, becoming a boiling inferno that would cook anything in its wake.

Looking behind him, Demyx's eyes fixated themselves on the curved neck of Axel, who was focused on his element mingling with Demy's. All of a sudden, the blonde's breath seemed to halt and unable to take a breath into his body. Just watching Axel in his seemingly aura of confidence, his perky smile that seemed to be the charm to his image. Demyx swore that look somehow was making him strangely melt, or prehaps it was from the pyro's firey heat? "Axel?" He asked, stopping his water as his held up palm lowered, Axel's following suit. "What?!" He seemed to protest. "Just thought we ought to train together. You know, combining elements together and stuff..." The young blonde merely shrugged, erasing his mind of the odd thoughts from before. "Oh? Uh... yeah, that's... that sound's like a good plan." He mumbled. Axel raised an eyebrow. "Dems, you okay?" He asked with his fists to his hips. "You're not daydreaming are ya?" Demyx sighed, and nodded. "Better try to not do it while in the middle of a battle then. Last thing I need is you pounded like steak. And trust me, Demyx flavored steak does not bode well with red wine at all." A slight frown appeared on the other's lips and stepped away from Axel. "No more jokes Axel, please." He said in a tone of voice that sounded as if he was giving up on something. The pyro watched Demyx for a while before shaking his head. "Ugh, damn it Demyx..." He hissed under his breath. Honestly what was with this nobody lately?

Tracking through the dark forest some more, it seemed like they were going in circles. Everything looked the same, and the lack of light wasn't comforting. Axel held his hand out, summoning forth a flame to light their way. "This will help." He said as he treked on. Demyx nodded silently until he spotted something. Turning off to the right, the blonde came upon a grove of giant flowers. "Hey Axel... come check this out." He called out. Once the light of Axel's flame was behind Demyx, he stepped aside to show his comrade. "Dems, it's just a big red flower. Nothing special about it, alright? You ain't fucking Marluxia okay? Let's go before I would have to snuff you out like that weed of a nobody." Axel explain, unimpressed. "Axel! Don't say that!" "Say what? Fuck? We're alone aren't we!? I can say it all I want about that stinking rose head Mar... fuck fuck fuck fuc..." SLAP! Axel's eyes went wide as his face was now to the side, and stinging with pain. A nice red mark where Demyx's hand made contact started to become present. "Don't say that word! I know you disliked Marly, but come on! We're sappose to be helping this world, not dirty it up with your foul words! Geez Axel, I thought you had more respect than that! Why can't you be nice for once!?" Demyx pointed out, holding up his finger to wave it around as he once did in another time in another place... Axel rubbed the side of his face, not wanting to reply back since that was enough to place his tail between his legs and be silent. Once Demyx sought that Axel understood, he returned to his attention to the flower of interest. "Hey... there's some glowly powder stuff inside." He approached towards the flower, bending the stem down to look inside. But no soon had he grabbed ahold of that stem than the gold dust seemed to fall on top of him. "AHH..CHOO!" He sneezed. "Nice one Demyx... you got all that stuff on you. Now where can we find a place to wash you off?" Axel said with a slight shake of his head.

"Ah... Axel? I'm feeling wierd." Demyx suddenly whispered to the redhead that was just turning his head back. "Hmm?" Axel replied, too late that is. Suddenly, his eyes went wide and he scrambled for shelter as Demyx exploded in growth, until he was as tall as the trees. "Wow... I can see much better now!" He exclaimed with his head sticking out of the tree canopy. However, he heard the shrieking of a small bird and before he knew it, Demyx was attacked by one angry bird. "Hey, hey easy! Easy! OW! I bruise easily. Ow! Ow! Stop that!" He flinched here and there to avoid the bird's pecking. "Serpent! Serpent!" The bird cried out. Demyx blinked, then gazed up on his head to see a next nicely sitting on his hair. "Ohh.. no! I'm not a serpent, just a nobody. Here, I'll set your nest back. I'm sorry for spooking you. Hope your eggs are alright." While the bird was chattering away over the subject of snakes, Demyx slowly and carefully with steady and gentle hands cradling the nest and bend down low enough to place it on a brach that was strong enough to hold the nest and hide it from real predators. "There, no harm done. Sorry for scaring you." He said with a smile. "Hmph, well I sappose you aren't a serpent then... Now go! Shoo!" The mother bird squawked. Demyx nodded and ducked down underneath the trees. "Axel? Axel where are you?" "Over here!" Came the smallest voice Demyx heard. He peered down, seeing the tiny doll-size Axel. "Wow Axel! You look like a action figure!" A glare crossed Axel's face and he seemed to mutter something that Demyx couldn't hear. "Come on, I know the way out! I saw it!" The blonde leaned a arm out, plucking Axel up around his middle. "HEY PUT ME DOWN!" He protested and gently was placed in one of Demyx's coat pockets. "Relax Axel, I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." Demyx said with a smile and carefully stood up, begining to tread through the trees.

Axel watched the ground go by faster, and was somewhat 'glad' about it, at least they were not wasting time. Safe and snug in Demyx's pocket, the pyro slinked back down into the warm confides. At least the opening allowing light to pour in and not force Axel to use a flame to see. That would give nasty results. He sat on a plastic sitar pick, that obviously had been chewed on by the blonde from multiple sessions in the past and probably now. "Well at least I'm saving energy from walking. Demyx needs to clean out his pockets once and a while, ya ...know?" He paused, his emerald eyes catching something deep in the depts of the pocket. Sliding down to the very bottom, was a crumpled piece of paper. As Axel spread it open with his arms, it because clear what this message was written on it. Shocked, he had difficulty swallowing as he read the contents aloud, knowing Demyx would not be able to hear him anyways. "Ehh...eh...If the ...sss-subject pff-fails to respond... use a...agression to liberate... his true disposition... By order of the Superior. ... Consquenences in failure will result in... fatal punishment..." He bowed his head, eyes closed as fists tighten. "Grr... damn you Xemnas! I 'hope' you're burning in hell! MY Hell!" After a minute Axel leaned his head back up, and with one finger, he traced a even smaller message to the paper, knowing Demyx won't be able to read it... unless he looked hard. "You were never the agressive type... and I don't think you were meant to be... You are unique Demyx... don't let someone like Xemnas ruin what life and existance gave you. You'll always have me on your side... forever. Got it Memorized? - Axel." He whispered as he wrote the words by burning lightly into the paper to leave the mouse size message. He smiled and sighed with content, relief that hope was shining the bright side for the both of them just as Demyx stopped moving.

Crawling to the opening, Axel popped his head out like a squirrel and looked around. "Demyx! Why have we stopped!?" He shouted while cupping his hands to his mouth. "I can't get through this section of woods! It's too thick and I've lost sight of the house!" He replied with a frown. "House!? What house!?" "It was a strange house and I could of swore I could smell tea." "You're smelling things... it's Luxord's ghost spookin' the place." Axel muttered. "Maybe the way around... is the way down?" Came a strange voice. Glancing to a tree branch, the duo spotted a floating grin that soon attached itself with a cat head that appeared bouncing all over the place until a body appeared and the head attached itself. "A cat?" Axel mumbled. "Some messed up feline... Hey Puss! Can you help us get to that house over those trees? Demy here can't get through!" The redhead called out. "Oh I don't know.. I don't know aboy going through things but I do know of things going down, up, and all around. Beware the shadows that lurk in the mad hatter's garden. What a mess... no more tea parties. And without tea parties... well.. that is for you to see." The Cheshire Cat said, leaning against the tree trunk. "Yeah, but that doesn't solve the issue of having Demyx here normal size again!" Axel complained. "Hey Axel look!" Demyx pointed to a strange flower that grew all alone on a tree branch, filled with a sweet, honey like liquid. "Maybe that will make me normal!" He said, walking over to it. "Whoa Demyx! If you take that with me in your pocket, I will end up as a action figure for the rest of my immortal life! You'll see me packed in a plastic box and held on some internet auction to rabid fangirls and the winner will treat me like the rarest pet money can buy! What I'm trying to say is... PUT ME DOWN!" Axel nearly screamed.

Demyx reached in his pocket, allowing Axel to grab ahold to his hand as he gently set him back down on solid ground again. Axel stepped back as Demyx sipped on the flower honey pot. "Hmmm.. that's so sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet!" He said, trailing off as he shrank back to Axel's size. "That's better." The pyro said with a smirk. "Indeed... smaller is better! Better for fighting shadows with! But in the end, or the begining... you might face more questions to answers not yet spoken! And spoken answers are best heard to unlistened questions! Nothing tickles a dragon's scales like that of a curious kitten in her lair!" Axel's eyebrows raised at Cheshire's odd replies. "Wait... dragon? What dragon?" "Oh I'm sorry, I can tell so far and know so much! Ask me another question and maybe I'll answer and maybe I won't." The pyro glared at the cat, before dragging Demyx along. "Come on Dem, this mangy cat isn't going to tell us anything straight." "Would that make him gay?" Axel haulted, one eye twitching. "No Demyx, he's not going to come out with a understandable answer! Stupid riddles and stupid mixed nonscence! Don't EVER think about owning a cat if we make it out of this stupid war alive. And this so called war.. isn't a war but a stupid little argument of ownership over something that has more power than anything in existence, resulting in history repeating itself over and over and o..."

SLAP!

Axel blinked when he released Demyx popped a nice one to his cheek. "For the love of Kingdom Hearts and the seven seas Axel... get a chill pill! Calm down... if you're so upset, why not vent on those meanie talking flowers. I bet they have connections with Marluxia..." Axel suddenly grinned evilly after rubbing his face and smirked to the flowers. "A burning does seem in order... BUT ... seems we have Heartless to fry. They're the true trouble makers." Demyx nodded, smiling as if he had a boost of confidence added on his shoulders. "Yeah! That's the Axel I know! Burning down the hatches!" The redhead chuckled, before summoning his chakrams. With a nod, he and Demyx, after summoning his sitar approached the small black tunnel to the sapposive tea party. However, upon their arrival out of the forest and into the English style cottage garden, something was off. "Where is everyone?" Axel whispered, his eyes narrowed to slight slits, as if hunting down his quarry. Demyx gazed all over the place, before cautiously approaching the garden gate. "I thought there would be a party... or something." The pryo also approached, noticing the large table with mismatched tea sets and chairs, broken and smashed. His eyes casted up to a picture hanging on the picket fence at the far end. The image seemed to be of a man and hare with a teapot, a mouse poking it's head out all looking distressed. Without warning, a swarm of heartless soldiers appeared, causing Axel and Demyx to snap to attention and immediately go into attack mode.

"EEEEEEIIIIIAAAAHHH!" Demyx swung his sitar in a full circle, spiking heartless that came near with a trail of water behind him. Axel leapt into the air, backflipping with his own tail of fire, burning heartless to crispy bacon. A smirk appeared on his lips as his chakrams flew out to swipe at a few shadows that dared to come too close to the fire dancer. "Looking good VIII!" Demyx called out, flinging his hand at a soldier heartless and summoning a blast of water till it disappeared. He seemed to enjoyed it too much, not paying attention as something appeared and went straight for him from behind. "DEMYX LOOK OUT!" Axel shouted, startling Demyx as the flames from his flying chakrams burned and sliced through... a Dusk nobody. The young hyrdo nearly leapt backwards when he saw it. "Demyx, stay low!" Axel leapt forward, slicing through five more Dusks that had appeared, tougher than what they use to be. "Back off you no faces! I'll teach you all not to betray me!" He snarled, almost looking terrifying as he slashed and hacked at every Dusk that came close to Demyx, protecting him almost. Once the final Dusk was finished, Axel huffed and puffed until he regained regular breathing. "You alright Demyx?" The blonde nodded. "Yeah. But where did those Dusks come from?" "I don't know but I'm getting the idea... that Dark Organization isn't 'trilled' with us saving worlds.. which means from now on.. the fights are going to get tougher and harder. Be prepare to deal with larger injuries to heal up." Axel explained, licking his dry lips as his eyes locked onto the cottage door. "Here. I bet they came from in here." The two ran for the door, Axel opening it only to find themselves back at the rabbit house again but from above. "Whoa! Whoa! WHOA!" Axel shouted before Demyx accidently shoved the two through the door, falling down onto the table with a thud.

"Damn it Demyx! Get off me!" Poor Axel squirmed under Demyx's weight while the other attempted to get up as well. "Sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean to!" Demyx leapted off, helping Axel to his feet and dusted off his cloak. "It's okay Demy... it's okay! I just bruise real back in the back, ya know?" Axel stood up, gazing around the room again to recollect his memories when he noticed... a tea set? "Hey.. this tea pot and cups weren't here before..." He said approaching the strange black and pink tea set. Demyx approached as well, walking around the spout to get a better look. That look gave him a sudden hault in his tracks. "AXEL RUN! IT'S A HEARTL..!!" Suddenly the teapot came to life and snatched up Demyx, slamming the top shut. Axel leapt back, chakram drawn as the heartless teacup grew legs like a spider while the two cups and saucers became armless hands that lunged forth at Axel. He dodged one by a back flipping away, only to have the other slap him away. He bounced back to the edge of the table, nearly falling off. At the last minute, he grasped the end, and manuvered himself back on track. "You let go of my friend you fiend!" He shouted back at the heartless. With a slash of his firey chakram, one of the tea cup saucers broke apart on the cup hands. "Oh yeah! Score one for the Axe-man!" The pyro self-cheered on. "Axel help! It's doing something to me!!" Demyx yelled from inside the pot. The heartless swirled around, growling as it leapt into the air and without warning, spewed forth hot water at the redhead. "Oh no you don't! NO ONE BUT ME MEDDLES WITH MY BUDDY'S POWER!" Axel dodged the boiling water, grasping both chakrams firmly in hand. "Prepare yourself!" He shouted and forced out seering flames from the chakrams, turning around in a circle. Faster and hotter he went, pushing his elemental power to its limit. _Demyx... please be alright!_ His thoughts raced, as the fires burned past his limit, and once he swore he started to fade bits of himself away from burning his energy core to nothing... like before. But the flames did not take his body away, and instead caused the heartless boss to explode in smoke and hot water. The battle was over.

"Demyx!" Axel ran to the mess as soon as he stopped his flames. There in the center, cough up a lung almost, was Demyx, alive, but seered pink. "Demyx! You're okay buddy!" The pyro reached down to hug Demyx for a first, only to be pushed away. "I'M BURNED! SKIN TOO HOT!!! AHH! THAT HURTS!" Poor Demyx shouted, his body shaking from having to project himself from Axel's flames had summoned a bubble inside the heartless teapot, only to be boiled slightly, resulting in his skin burned pink. "You kinda look like a lobster!" Axel laughed, only to receive a death glare. Raising his hands in the air, he defended himself. "Hey! Hey! I saved you, didn't I? I wasn't gonna stand by and watch that heartless steal away your powers." Demyx smiled sheepishly and nodded, still shaking. "Axel... I hurt... I hurt all over and it hurts to move." The pyro sighed and gently, very, very gently placed a hand to Demyx's shoulder. "Can you walk?" "Yeah... I think so.. just... burns." "I know... here." The redhead turned his back at Demyx and knealed down. "I'll carry you. I think I can find us a treasure chest with a potion to heal you up with." The blonde smiled and carefully eased himself onto Axel's back, not once protesting as he wrapped his arms around the pyro's neck. "Thank you Axel." He whispered as the two made their way down the table. "Forget about it Dems... it happens... we were caught off-guard. Just re.." "No... I mean... thank you, for sticking by me this far. I don't know where I'd be without you."

Axel glanced over, seeing Demyx lightly smile with those warm blue eyes. A blink and he too, smiled back. "Anytime buddy... anytime." Axel slowly carried Demyx back for the opening towards the Red Queen's garden, his mind set on seeing if they could get a high potion for Demyx since the heartless threat was gone now. As he entered the dark enterance way, he could of swore he felt something on the back of his neck... as if something kissed him there? Must of been the wet white coat from Demyx. Once the pair returned to the gardens, they were met with the card soldiers clearing a path for them to the Red Queen. "Mavelous performance if I do say so your majesty! They were like two gyrafalcons against those shadow monsters!" "Oh indeed! I raise my cup of tea to that fight! And then the end! Why, he was the dragon's dragon! Impressive fire as far as the eye can see!" "Very impressive indeed...Zzzzz" Axel and Demyx looked up, to see a man with a top hat, a hare dressed in less than fine clothes, while holding a teapot holding a mouse inside. "Oh dear! Here they are now!" The hatter said, pointing to the young nobodies. "Yes! Yes! They are the ones who fought the darkness!" The March Hare added. The Red Queen puffed out her chest and batted her eyes back at Axel. "So! Seems you've done an excellant job in removing those pesky shadow creatures out of my domain! I congradulate you on all my behalf!" "Ahm..." The white rabbit poked at her side. "Oh! And of course, in saving the Mad Hatter, and his companions, the March Hare and Door Mouse from being trapped at their tea house. Without you, I can't think of what would Wonderland be like without tea parties!" 

Setting Demyx gently down, Axel approached the bench. "Your Majesty, my companion and I greatfully accept you and your subjects thanks, and you said eariler we would be rewarded. My companion here was injured in the final battle, and all I request is a rememdy to heal his burns. I think that should be a generous reward enough, then we shall be on ... the way back to the road we were following." The Red Queen leaned over to the side, whispering to the White Rabbit over something. The rabbit was off like a shot, and returned minutes later with a gold chest to present to Axel. He opened it, to reveal not just any potion, but a super potion. "I hope this will be enough, I trust?" The Queen eaved in. "More than enough your Majesty." The redhead returned, taking the bottle and handing it to Demyx who opened it and sipped down the small blue bottle's contents. He watched with a amazed smile as his skin returned to normal and the pain was gone. "I'm cured!" He said happily. He turned towards the queen and bowed almost to the point of falling on his face. "Thank you Your Majesty! Axel here is a really great friend! You sure were in good hands with him and I to help save the world!" "Indeed, but now if you excuse me, I have pressing matters to attend to, and a queens mustn't miss her croquet match!" Both boys bowed again before returning to the path towards the rabbit hole. Demyx was the first out of the tunnel when he spotted that the size potions were on the floor and unscaved. "Look Axel! The size potions haven't been destroyed!" Demyx ran over, grabbing a Eat Me cookie. "Okay Demyx... before we return to normal size... let me test this..." The hydro nodded, and Axel pulled a piece off the cookie. "Hmm..." Remembering how the first time was, he licked the piece instead of eating it. "WHOOOOOOAAAAAAAA!" The pyro's body grew up, but thankfully he returned to normal size. "Okay Dems... your turn, just lick it." Demyx nodded, doing as he was told and he too, returned to normal size. "Gee... that was fun... let's not do that again. This place is just like you said Aku... creepy like something from Luxord's dreams." Be thankful it's not his errotic dreams..." Axel added, leading Demyx back down the hallway of rabbit collectibles.

"Dead end again." Demyx blantly said. They had reached the end, glancing back up at the hole above. "Demyx, there's nothing up there... only darkness." Axel sighed, running a hand through his spiky hair. Demyx walked around the circular dead end. "What do you think? Climb?" Axel shook his head. "No... I told you, there's nothing way up there. Remember? We have only one choice..." The blonde sighed. "Axel... I'm not sure if portaling will do any good. What if we go somewhere so loaded with Darkness, we're no match? Or what if we run into bomber girl or that Ori-guy or any of those Darkies?" "And what are the chances we don't? Demyx... how else are we going to get out of here? Gummi ship? We're nobodies Dem... not keybladers. There's no other choice, we have to portal, even though somehow our powers to portal are royally screwed right now. Let's just keep going. Eventually, we're bound to end up at that Nuetral's place. They're the ones who might actually have a clue as to what to do about this... so called Organization War... So come on... I promise the next world we stop at, I'll buy you a bite to eat." With a renewed smile back on his face, Demyx nodded and stepped up beside Axel as the pyro lifted his hand. A portal appeared, this time, looking slightly lighter than before. "Together?" He asked the blonde. "Together." Demyx replyed and followed in pace with Axel into the portal, taking them... only Kingdom Hearts would know...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"So... you finally came?" A hooded nobody peered up from her portal after stepping out onto the darken steets of Twilight Town, the northern district that was now mostly abandon buildings say for a few bars and gamble houses. Silver eyes met with the darkness of another hooded figure. This one had about its neck a blue sash, with a strange symbol sewn on the ends. "Yeah... I guess I did." Lilix spoke as she draped her black hood back slightly for the figure to see her face, but not off completely... eyes could be watching and this was a private meeting. "Tell me.. how goes over in your domain?" The hooded figure asked, leaning against a drain pipe with arms crossed over its equally black coat. Lilix merely rolled her eyes. "Why should you know?" "Just curious..." The Dark sighed, crossing her own arms and tapped her boot. "Xariaha's getting more aggresive with you lagging. Said along the lines that if action isn't taken, he's going to be sending out lessers at your front door." There was a pause from the other, before huffing out a single laugh. "That's a laugh... I keep getting those threats for weeks now.. they are hollow to me. If he wants to vent that fustration... Xtutela's door is open... go knock on his. I secretly summoned you here because... of two things."

Lilix eyebrows raised. "Oh? What?" The figure on the wall sighed again, keeping the suspence as long as it could hold before losing Lilix's patience. "You do realize... I was the one who summoned the two from the first Thirteenth Order... I've been told by one of my own that you and... one of them had a scuffle or two." Lilix narrowed her eyes, to mere steally slits. "You summoned Axel and Demyx? Why bother? What good are they to your side when they're a pain to my organization and maybe the Forgotten Order's as well. The Lights... psh.. whatever." "They are the keys to stopping this war... Something was locked away in their souls that would release a power to rid of this war and bring back some... solitude. Balance in a universe where even the Darkness has been led astray from its orginal purpose. What it is, I do not know myself... but I know it will be all of the nobodies' salvation." "Feh, you and your predictions... let me guess... not to harm them anymore? Well.. I can't promise that... because Xariaha can easily order me to fight them." "Very well... then see that at least on my behalf... they are not near death. At least do something..." Lilix snorted lightly, waving off the other nobody as she turned her back. "No promises but I'll try... and the other thing?"

The other nobody fell silent, and there was a aura of uneasiness in the night air under the flicker street lamp. Lilix glanced over her shoulder, staring up at the other. "Hey..." She whispered almost in a hiss towards the other. The unknown lifted it's head up and looked directly towards her. "I have a message from one of my own..." Lilix turned around, listening silently. "He says to meet him at one of the harbors at Port Royal... wants to spend some time with you in private. It's hard with the fact I've got the majority of my side at home... but with the war starting to rise to its peak, they can't risk going out and risk pushing our side into the war... just the way Xariaha wants it. So... he'll be there, picking up our monthly supply of rum and cakes." A smirk appeared for a moment on Lilix lips before they disappeared under her stone face. "Well... I'll see if I can make time for that... after all, orders from the Superior, he's got 'Mr. Fluffeh' out with several members, going that way to cause a huge ruckus. Not like what's been going on... this is serious damages." If one could see into darkness, a smile could be seen on the unknown's lips. "Well then... Axel and Demyx should be getting some serious work outs. They've faced light heartless here and there, a not so serious run ins with nobodies... but now... the real tests begins. From now on, they're going to be facing tougher opponents, and greater challenges than before." Lilix laughed slightly. "You sound confident." "I am..." The unknown replied. "That's ironic, considering you're just a nobody like everyone else..." Lilix pointed out. "Am I? ... I like to think of myself as being something of a anomaly of sorts in the realm of what it means to call ones self a Nobody." "Well... whatever you are, you've certainly have Xariaha's attention, wheither you like it or not." The unknown hummed slightly, before speaking again. "When the day comes and the war gets at its ugliest... will our friendship wane for the sake of diffences in sides?" The Dark shrugged, before opening a portal. "I don't know... hard to say... if you're 'concern' about our secret friendship... then..." "No need to answer Lilix. I understand... I'm just glad my teachings have gone beyond my side's perspectives..." The unknown also lifted a hand, summoning forth a portal. "See you later then?" It said before leaving. Lilix smirked, nodded lightly. "Yeah... when I find free time... see ya later then." She said and entered, returning to her own castle.

"Well then... the pieces of the puzzle are slowly coming together... but the question is... how long until the one who comes to ruin the picture comes and does his dirty work and hide away the true meanings? Only time can tell, and my time... is running out. Oh Kingdom Hearts... look after my two summoned heros... they need all the help they can get... I fear a dark cloud shadowing over their path..." The unknown whispered to itself, before returning through the portal... back to Hollow Bastion.


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Warnings: slight language, use of alcohol

Sorry for the severe lateness, I've been having issues trying to get in a college with so-so results as well as real-life crap and writer's block.

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"Get him!" A troop of British soldiers raced down the stone walkway, chasing after a man clad in brown and tan colored clothes that appeared to be well worn and weather aged by time, sun, and sea. He wore a red bandana around his head as he ran from the troop, his knee high boots clopping against the ground. He had been caught in the midst of some of his favorite past time, and with not a minute to lose; he snatched his tri-corner hat that happened to be on the ground, scooping it up in his mariner hands. Quickly, he made a speedy retreat into a small walkway of the stone fort, so fast that the troop chasing him did not see where he hid and continued running in the same direction. With a witty grin, the man chuckled and tipped toed away like a cat towards the docks. But of course, being the man he was, he couldn't help but notice there was a snoozing guard on duty near by. No harm came from ransacking his pockets, now was there so long as the man was still asleep. Finding a pouch of coins, he shook it a few times to his ear, carrying a serious look about his face. Estimating the amount, he nodded with a satisfactorily smile and waltz off down the wooden dock, to see what boat he could 'borrow without permission' from.

"There he is! Catch him men!" Suddenly the man was spotted, his cover blown and at once scrambled for the nearest exit like a cockroach scurrying away as fast as his legs could carry. It almost seemed comical, watching him run back the way he came, with the soldiers chasing after him. But alas, his road came to a end, as he nearly fell off the high edge. He stared down at the sea below, jagged rocks covering around the edges. He frowned, grimaced at the distance down... only a man crazy enough would dare to jump. Then again, he just happened to be that sort of man. He turned around, seeing the small fleet of soldiers aim their muskets at him. "Now, please... let's be reasonable gents. Before any of you says something, I like to say this: Sure I've... plundered a bit, maybe done one or two things that were considered a bit naughty by your standards to have me ole' self locked up, shackled, and maybe done in with a good ole hanging. But there's one piece you always seem to forget to mention. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Savy?" And with that, he took one step back and fell down to the sea below. Somehow, he had luck on his side and crashed into the sea unharmed. The troop above simply were once again, having to figure out what to do now with a crafty pirate constantly stopping by now and then. At least Sparrow will be the least of their concerns as this day, a mysterious fog was rolling in from the ocean, aiming for the island of Port Royal. For Jack, as he surfaced for air, he was warmly greeted by his own crew waiting for him in a hidden cove on board the Black Pearl, setting sail straight for the path of the fog...

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The smell of food was an inviting sense to Demyx as soon as he and Axel stepped through the portal. Somehow, they came to a small port town, right in front of a market and tavern. The blonde glanced all over the place, even amazed to see no one lifting a head to see the two newcomers from nowhere. Even Axel took notice of the unfazed crowd, his red eyebrow rising slightly. But he said nothing and changed his direction towards the tavern. Demyx glanced over to Axel, blinking slightly. "Where are you going?" He asked, confused slightly. "Food. I promised we'd eat next world we come to. So, am I buying you lunch or not?" The red head replied, glancing at Demyx as if he meant to take it seriously. "Oh! Sorry! I just... with everyone here and..." "Save it for the table, Dem... I have the same idea but I rather speak it quietly." The blonde nodded and quickly followed Axel inside. The tavern was busy, but with plenty of seating left as Axel and Demyx found a cozy corner of the bay window of the place, called "Sparrow's Landing". After ordering up some food and drinks, did Axel lean forward and a hushed conversation was started. "I'm getting creepy vibes here. We come in... right in the middle of the street, and no one even bothers to turn heads." Demyx nodded. "Yeah... it's like they knew we were coming or..." "Or Nobodies have been here before and frequent this world so much, no one cares to pay attention anymore. But if that's the case, what's with this world that's so valuable that none of the Organizations have fought over so far?" Axel whispered, his voice almost at a hiss.

Without warning, the two of them broke away from each other as two mugs of rum and plates of various meats, fruits and bread was served. "Food!" Demyx cried out and immediately started digging in, biting into some of the exotic fruits. Axel smiled at this, picking up his pewter tanker and sipped at the warm drink. The sweet taste flowed down his tongue, sparking up a punch of flavor and... memories. "Hmm?" He sipped it again, this time, taking a much more amount his mouth could take. Axel allowed the liquid to settle on his tongue, before swallowing the content. Now he remembered. "Bingo!" He shouted, causing Demyx to pause from munching away at the turkey leg. "What? What?" He asked with a mouthful of food. "Rum! Port Royal Rum! First mission into this place was to steal a barrel of rum, back with the organization! Remember! We 'loved' it so much, we sent Luxord here to get it for us since he had the British accent and all!" Demyx swallowed his food, nearly choking on it as it went down. "Oh my gosh! I've completely forgotten! Port Royal's rum is legendary back home. I remembered when we had a huge supply, Xaldin would make spiced rum cakes for us when we came back from supply gathering missions! We had it with our meals nearly all the time!" Axel smirked and sucked down another mouthful. "Man oh man, do I miss this stuff! Now I know why everyone here isn't scared of nobodies... I bet the other Organizations come here for the same reason we did long ago... purchase rum and enjoy it by the barrel full."

Demyx nodded, smiling contently at the warm food he ate. It had been a while since they had eaten anything and the simple pleasure of having a full belly was satisfying. The pyro smirked and stole a leg of roasted chicken, as he had ordered a huge feast full. To Axel, he wanted to make sure they were fit and full before continuing their journey. It was a likely theory that the two of them will not be grabbing a bite to eat anytime soon. "Axel!" The pryo paused, glancing up with a piece of roasted chicken dangling from the corner of his mouth. "Wut?" He mumbled, before sucking the meat in his mouth. Demyx sighed and shook his head, simply pushing away the protest from his mind. This was Axel after all, and there was enough food to split between them, maybe even more. Axel gulped down another swallow of the rum, the alcohol dwelling in the pit of his stomach starting to react, causing him to pinking up in the cheeks. "Axel… are you okay? You're cheeks are gaining color." The red head blinked and placed a hand to his cheek, feeling the heat rise. "Guess you're right…" He whispered, his other hand curling around the mug for another swig. The blonde intervened, snatching Axel by the wrist as he was about to slurp down more of the addicting rum. "Axel, that's enough. You'll get drunk to fast if you have another sip. Why not wait a while, eat some food and sober up before you drink again." Axel grumbled under his breath. "But I like to drink, is that a crime?" "It is when you become a Nobody ticking time bomb. Be careful with amount of booze you drink Axel, your fire power could make us go POOF!" Demyx pointed out, before his hands reached for some bread and cheese. "Have some cheese at least, can't have good food go to waste."

So Axel nodded, slicing a piece of hearty bread and placing a equally hearty size slice of cheese on top before biting into it. Demyx was right, fire and any alcoholic beverage did not mix well, especially if it was Axel, a fire wielder and his stomach. As much as it was a great advantage having his fire powers boosted up, it came with a price of being completely drunk off his ass, and not really knowing he was a danger to everyone and everything he can into contact with. "Is it good?" Demyx asked, seeing Axel's pink shade start to lessen. He nodded back, more interested in stuffing his face with bread, cheese, and fruit now since the meat was almost stripped off the bones. The hydro smiled, taking a sip of his drink, but lightly. It would be a quiet half hour between the two, and eventually the contents of their meals was now nothing more than what was not edible or too small to consume. Bread crumbles scattered on the wooden cutting board, the remnant vines that once held plump grapes, peeled shells of mellows, kiwis, and oranges all piled the plates and lastly, a miniature graveyard of poultry bones. Axel placed a fisted hand to his mouth, intending to muffle himself as he belched slightly. "Man, that was good food. I doubt I can stuff my face anymore." Demyx nodded while placing his gloves back on. "Yeah, we'll have to come back here again once we can portal normally again." The two boys paid together, leaving a nice tip for the waitress, seeing how they were treated fairly and satisfied with the amount of food given.

The bright Caribbean sun beamed down on the port town, Axel and Demyx squinting to readjust their vision. "Well… now what? Go Heartless hunting? Betcha they'll come out at night better." Axel suggested, shrugging his shoulders to his comrade. Demyx began to chew on the inside of his lower lip, trying to think of any ideas to kill time till dark. "I dunno… go check out the market?" "Good idea. We're low on healing items." The pyro pointed out and aimed for the open air market they could see down the street. However, Axel, being the type who never looks before they leapt, bumped into someone. There was the ringing sound of bottles, followed by the voice of a very annoyed young boy. "Hey watch it! I've got expensive rum, dude!" "Dude?" Axel blinked, this was Port Royal… no one says dude! Unfortunately, the redhead could care less for the boy and grunted in his displeasure before walking again. "Stupid kid." He muttered. Demyx on the other hand, took notice right away, watching the boy glare at them while cradling five huge green bottles of rum in his arms. His hair was bluish green, skin sandy tan colored and wore… a black organization coat with the zipper completely open to reveal only a pair of swim trunks in blue colors. Around his neck flashed a blue satin sash. "Hey!" Demyx called out, but the boy disappeared into the crowd. "Axel!" He ran, catching up to his fire friend. "What now Dem?" He gruffled back. "I think that kid was a nobody! He wore a black coat!" "Demyx… no one in their right mind wears black in this sort of weather lest you're either an important person… or you're a Darkie." "Well maybe it was a Darkie! Come on Axel we gotta find him again!" Axel rolled his eyes, searching for a booth selling potions and elixirs. "Axel! Come on! Stop fooling around! We got to…" "We're getting potions and elixirs. Unless you're perfectly fine with DYING again!" The pyro snapped. Demyx's eyes widen and shook his head no, though he kept glancing over his shoulder for the boy. "I could of sworn I saw what I saw…" The blonde whispered, waiting as Axel found a small booth and stocked up on potions.

Without warning a cannon fired from nowhere, aiming at the town. A wall exploded and people screamed in terror as they ran for shelter. Axel and Demyx quickly glanced towards the cove, spotting a black ship in the harbor. A thick fog carried around it, as more cannon fire exploded. Palm trees were hit, sending huge splinters in all directions. The sides of buildings busted out chunks of rock and mortar, falling to the people below. It was chaos, and people were scrambling everywhere they could even as the firing continued. Axel and Demyx quickly took to a nearby grove of trees near the shore, watching the event unfold in their make-shift shelter. "Pirates!" Axel hissed under his breath. Demyx watched, his blue eyes bouncing back and forth between the ship and town. "Axel we have to do something!" "Do what!? We're here and they're out there!" The blonde didn't want to just stand there in hiding and watch innocent people be attacked. He had to do something and something fast. Then it came to him all at once and in this rare occasion, he smiled a wicked grin. Holding his hands out, Demyx summoned forth his sitar and waded into the water till the warm sea was up to his knees. "Demyx what are you doing!? You'll be spotted!" Axel called from the shade. But he was ignored as the musician started to play a song that was clearly meant for rock and roll. While Demy played, the ship continued firing, coming in closer for better targeting. It seemed the villains would get the winning hand. Then, it seemed the world stood still and quiet as a budge of water rose above the ship, casting a shadow over the vessel. The tiny ship now started to turn away in retreat, and as Demyx continued to play harder, the higher the water rose. He played until the ship was completely turned around, then with the same wicked smile, held a chord which caused the wave to stop rising. And then the music stopped.

Water rushed downward as a tidal wave of epic proportions. It came down with a roar, crashing back down on the sea, causing it to wave out. The ship retreating was now caught on one of these monstrous waves, being pushed farther and farther away from the island and soon out of sight. Demyx watched, smiling contently as his sitar suddenly became water itself and burst like a bubble. Axel waited as the other wadded out from the water, coat and pants dripping wet. "That was crazy Demy…." Axel said with a smug look on his face and fisted hands to his hips. "Well… I figured I had to summon water to push them away so they won't be able to come back for a while. That wave will be carrying them several miles out to sea, so no worries." He said with a grin himself. Axel nodded, then noticed Demyx's smile turn to a look of 'concern'. "What's wrong?" He asked, leaning down to the side to see if a crab hadn't pinched Demy's ass. "Hold on…" The hydro mumbled and returned to the shore. He removed a glove off his right hand and placed it in the water, closing his eyes. Suddenly, he gasped as if seeing something that wasn't there. "What! Demyx what's going on?!" Axel cried out. That's when he remembered it was one of Demyx's hidden talents. "He was here too!" Demyx quickly said, withdrawing his hand. "He was with another… a pirate, a good one." Axel blinked. "There's no such thing as a good pi…" "Sparrow."

Now Axel's attention was all ears. "Sparrow!? Where have I've heard that name before? Hmm." He rubbed his chin, trying to figure out where the name came from. He knew a few pirate names, Blackbeard, Capt. Kidd, Sir Frances Drake, Hook... "Jack Sparrow!" Demyx jutted in with a smile. Axel snapped his fingers and nodded. "That's right! Demyx, read the water's imprinting thingy again, can it tell us anything about his whereabouts?" Demyx nodded and returned his hand to the cooling liquid. He closed his eyes, searching hard. "It's not clear. Too many ships come in and out of this port. But it remembers Sora... five years ago." "Damn." Axel huffed. "What's the name of Jack's ship then?" "Uh... says the Black Pearl hasn't been around here in a week... they went elsewhere. Ugh, talking to ocean water is the biggest headache ever!" The blonde ranted then removed his hand to dry. Axel placed his hands to his hips. "Why?" He asked. "It's like... trying to talk to everyone in a city. And I do mean everyone. They all have something to say and the voices go from barely audible, to down right agonizing! The smaller the water source, the lesser the voices and better the quality of information so long as it's not disturbed so much." "And... what does it mean by disturbed?" Demyx shrugged. "Means if anything steps in the water or moves through it. Sealife tends to be less able to cause a impact because they are a part of it. Ships and people aren't native orgin or were not 'born' surrounded by water and therefore leave "imprints"." The pyro huffed a few times with a grin. "What could I ever do without ya Dem. Well, I guess we'll have to hunt down Jack if he's out to sea then. Just need to know where he might be heading to and I guess we'll hitch a ship in that direction." Demyx nodded, glancing up at the cloud dotted skies. "Where would Jack go to if nothing's going on?" The two nobodies pondered together in silence with arms across their chests. They had to remember what Luxord would chat about, even if they didn't really pay attention. Suddenly the two stared eye to eye, knowing where a pirate would go to when nothing's go on, but in the mood for spirits.

"Tortuga!"

- - - - - - - - -

"Axel, you hanging in there?" Demyx called out. Poor Axel gave Demyx a death glare, body shaking unsteadily before he jerked upwards and vomited a thrid time over the side of the small ship. "No worries laddy, he be just agettin' his sea legs in. He'll be fine once we pass these hard waters." The helmsman and captain said, seeing Axel as a new source of entertainment for the time being. Axel and Demyx managed to find a small vessel to take them to Torguga, after paying the captain a strange payment: Demyx playing his water clone song and Axel to... smoke the captain's catch of fish to keep them during the long trip. The small boat was a bit larger than a fishing boat, but smaller than a regular large ship, able to accommadate a few men. Or in this case, two nobodies. "How much farther?" Axel moaned, the sickly taste of his own stomach acid still lingering on his breath and tongue. "Oh I'd say... a few more days, give or take the wind. She's a blowin' pretty hard. But luck be on ye sides boys. Thar winds aheading for Tortuga." The captain explained, the boat still rocking up and down against the choppy waves. The clouds ahead were thick with gray colors, almost ready to turn black and block out the sea, though out towards the horizon was perfect sun. Demyx walked over to Axel, placing a hand on his hunched shoulder while the redhead moaned over the side. "You'll be okay Axel, really. Just try not to think about it." How can I!? We've been out at sea for a week! Ya think I'd be over this already!?" Axel protested, wiping his mouth with the backside of his hand. Demyx frowned and shruged before he returned to the otherside of the boat, staring into the distance.

Eventually, the waves started calming down and the boat was less rocky. Axel had not moved from his spot less he puked again on the deck and he was in NO mood to 'swab the deck' as he had a couple times for doing so. He started sencing his stomach relaxing and instead of looking out towards the horizon, he stared down at the reflection of himself on the greenish blue waters. He frowned, watching as while the ship cut through the water, sending waves outwards, droplets would leap out and ruin the mirror image of Axel now and then. But he ignored this, and merely gazed down. "The longer this takes... the more and more I'm going to believe I'll never see you again..." He whispered so noone but himself could hear. He continued to stare, almost tempting to throw himself overboard and be done with it, done with this misery of not knowing if he ever see his best friend, his team mate, his only light in darkness... "Roxas?" Axel blinked, seeing Roxas suddenly stand on deck next to him over the rail, smiling as he did. Immediately Axel's head snapped to his left where Roxas should be, but nothing was there, not even a whisper. Axel blinked and returned to his reflection, seeing no Roxas there either. Ack, his mind was playing tricks on him again. He sighed, leaning over the railing again with his arms cradling his head as the ship continued on its course till eventually he retired under for a small nap in his hammock.

Hours pasted, Demyx helping around the small ship with whatever he could, either shifting the sails, rolling them up or unfurling them when the wind was the right speed. Axel merely stayed below, attempting to sleep through his sea sickness, though he could barely fall asleep as it was. Just had a strange knot in his stomach that wouldn't go away. Food made it worse and sleep was merely just a few feet away from anything. So he was merely in the hammock, curled up on his side with his eyes half open starring at the wooden planks with a frown. Every now and then he'd curl in tighter then release, unable to seek comfort in this obscured place. The blanket didn't even help, as it was itchy wool and carried a musky smell of sea water and... fish. But for now, Axel cared less at this point in time. Everything just seemed so... bleh at the moment. Nothing to think about, nothing to interact with since Demyx was currently working top deck with the captain to keep a good head while they continue their journey. "You look tired." Axel's eyes slowly opened, seeing Demyx standing there next to him. "Shouldn't you be working?" Axel asked wearily. "Captain's giving me a break. He said I ought to go check on you, since you lost probably all of lunch."

Axel frowned before curling up tighter in a ball. "Don't remind me..." Demyx sighed, and sat next to Axel's hammock, leaning in. As Axel started to curl around the the side, he felt something on his side, and watched a interesting vial gently fall in his lap. He leaned up, to see Demyx's face. "I've been holding onto it, was going to use it sometime but since it looks like you're not... um... feeling well, I thought you might need it." Axel held up the silver and clear vial, seeing the white glowing liquid inside. "What is..." "Potion." The redhead raised an eyebrow. "But I just bought a handful of potions.. why..." "It was from Vincent." Axel blinked and remembered the gunman from Hade's Underworld. "I 'hope' he's okay. Do you think he got out? Ya know? From Hades like Cloud did long time ago?" Axel merely shook his head and sighed. "I don't know, he said he wasn't leaving till he had his way with someone... revenge I guess. And ya know, I kinda liked having him around, made our team stronger, ya know?" Demyx nodded with a calm, warm smile. "Yeah. He certainly had a few tricks. I wish I had a gun like his, I'd pop those heartless left and right! Pow! Pow!" He held his right hand up shaped like a pistol, pretending to shoot things. Axel chuckled lightly before unscrewing the silver cap. "Certainly interesting potion, must be the kind from Vinnie's homeworld." He sniffed the contents, humming in interest and tilted his head back, drinking it down. As the milky liquid filled his stomach, he suddenly felt his strenght return, no longer feeling sick from the rocking of the boat. But then... he gagged on the last gulp.

Dropping the bottle, his hands wrapped around his throat, wheezing in an attempt to breathe. There was something in the potion and it was caught in Axel's windpipe. "Axel!" Demyx lept up, and seeing Axel trying to choke the contents back out, gave the pyro a hard slap to the back. Immediately, he choked out, a small red sphere popping and bouncing across the floor till it came to a gentle rest on a pile of fish nets. While Axel attempted to relax his sore throat and breath normally, Demyx wandered over and picked up the red glass-like large marble. "Wow. I didn't know that was in there." He said, picking it up and staring at it with one eye. "Yeah... same here except I had to find out the hard way!" Axel barked back. Demyx smiled at the sphere and placed it in his pocket. Who knows, maybe it'll come in handy. "Well, you should be alright now Axel, how are you feeling physically?" Axel could sence the difference and no longer felt sea sick. "Much better, next time we come across Vincent, remind me to thank him for the potion." He said and returned back to his pillow and blanket. "Axel? What about..." "Still lacking sleep. I'm going to actually sleep now, wake me up in the morning alright?" Demyx merely sighed, smiling with a nod. "Alright." With Axel curled up in his hammock, it did not take the pyro long to finally drift off to sleep. Demyx stayed near and though he thought best to sleep in his own hammock as it was the dead of night and the old captain above was currently still navigating (how he managed with little sleep, was a mystery), he decided to see if a hammock could hold two. Removing as much clothes as possible down to his white and blue boxers he carefully slipped in with Axel. The hammock seemed to hold, so long as the blonde did not move much. He snuggled up close to Axel, listening to his gentle breathing. He did not snore, and somehow carried a scent on his skin as natural as a rose's scent. Yet it smelled more of a woody smell... like hickory smoke. It wasn't strong, but it was nearly sweet smelling. Demyx soon found himself nestling his face in Axel's white cloak chest, breathing in the firey smell till he too, fell asleep in the redhead's arms.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"LAND HO!"

Axel was the first to pop his head from the brigg, looking around the bright sunlit area of the bay as the ship came in. "Let me see! I wanna see Axel!" Demyx protested, pushing Axel aside as he popped his head out to take in the veiws. "Wow, check it out!" The blonde exclaimed. Axel merely grumbled and sunk back to his hammock. "Wake me when we dock up alright? I'm going to catch a few extra minutes." Demyx frowned. "Oh come on Axel, you should at least do something other than sleep in all day. You want to gain weight and look like a marshmellow for _me_ to roast?" The blonde asked with a sly grin. "LIKE HELL!" Axel suddenly rocketed out of the hammock, climbing outside and immeditately tended to the sails, rolling them up as the small ship aimed for the docks closing in. Demyx watched Axel with a keen interest, and cupped his mouth calling to the redhead. "Hey Axel! You do realize you look like a pirate without your cloak and tank top on!" Axel blinked, pausing in his work to realize he was indeed topless. "Oh shut up!" He called back, tying off the last remaining bond and slid down the ropes. "Enough staring Demyx... help me crank the anchor chain when we dock." He instructed, watching as the blonde nodded and lend a hand. A smile came on Axel's lips and returned to work.

By evening, the duo was on dry land once again, and after paying the captain a small fee, Demyx and Axel were in Tortuga. "Demyx watch out!" Axel shouted and yanked the blonde away from a cart speeding by with rum drinking pirates. "Yipes!" The blonde yelped, watching the cart go by. "What is going on with these people?" He asked as Axel led through the streets. "They're drunk off their asses that's what." Axel pointed out. His eyes searched around the place, now where would a famous pirate in a pirate town hang out at? "Axel are you sure you know what you're doing?" Demyx asked, trying to shy away from some not so gorgous girls in fancy dresses flirting with him. The redhead didn't seem to notice Demyx's tenseness as he pushed through the crowd, avoiding gun fire here and there and booze falling from the rooftops as if it was one big teenager party. "Pretty dangerous place if you ask me..." Axel mumbled to himself. Eventually they found a busy tavern that seemed settled down more than outside. However, upon entering, they were greeted with the loud sounds of fist fights, card games, gunsmoke and rum. Axel snorted at the smells and aimed for a table in the far corner. They watched for a good long hour but no sign of Sparrow. "Maybe he's not here?" Demyx questioned, looking as if he was 'worried'. Axel merely shook his head, silent and continued watching.

Another hour and no sign, Axel handed Demyx some money to get himself a drink while the redhead kept watch. He knew this had to be the place... something in his gut told him to wait here. His emerald eyes stayed glued to the front door, surely by now that raving mad man of a pirate would show up. Everything seemed to blur out, as his focus was so intent on that door. Even the voices and sounds seemed to drone out, till all was still, quiet... and then Demyx's voice broke into that cloud of silence. "I don't know what you're talking about! I didn't touch her!" The blond pleaded. Axel's eyes snapped over to the bar where Demyx had purchased some drinks for the two of them, a gruffy looking man holding a petite lady in his huge arm. "Says who? You'll be takin' a ole drink down to Javy Jones' Lock'r alright! If ye touches my lassy one mores timez..." "But I didn't touch her! She tried to come on to me!" "You tried to steals mah woman!?" The man growled and pulled out a pistol. He pulled back the hammer, aiming at Demyx's forehead. "Any last prayers lad?" Poor Demyx stood frozen, eyes wide as blue dinner plates. Suddenly without warning, something came flying by the two, knocking the pistol up in the air causing it to go off. A chakram slammed into the wooden wall, where it set itself on fire and disappeared. Everyone in the tavern hushed as Axel stood there in dead center, starring them down. "Back off or else my wheel of flames will go right through your head!" The redhead shouted. "Oi! You want a peice of me, Nothing!? Come and git its!" The pirate shouted, pulling out another pistol and firing.

The bullet missed Axel, but exploded another man's ale tankard. "OI! What in the name of! Ye damn dog's spittin.. cheat!" The other said and tossed a chair at the man, hitting another in the process. Within seconds, it was war inside the tavern. Demyx grabbed his drinks and dodged fists and debris everywhere as he rejoined Axel. "What do we do now Axel!?" He said, handing Axel a mug. "Beats me... we lay low and wait till it's over." Axel replied and the two snaked back into a spot watching the fight. But as Axel went to sip his rum, it was snatched by a stange fellow, who sucked it down. "Thankie matey. Much needed 'round this time!" He said as he wandered into the fighting crowd, and managed to avoid getting hit as he pick pocketed about. Axel stared at his now half emptied glass of rum and stared at the man in disbelief. "Who the hell is that guy, coming in, stealing my drink like he's some sort of a..." "Pirate? Well of course, you could use the phrases, scallywags, buccaneers, seadogs, and what have you that sets us a part from the rest of the world." The man said as he returned from pick pocketing. Axel stood up, starring the man down. "And who the hell are you stealing MY rum when it was paid for!?" Demyx rose up, trying to calm the pyro down. "We're sorry sir, my friend and I are looking for someone of great importance and we haven't found him all day so we're a little tense this evening." The blonde said as he pushed Axel down. The pirate slowly nodded, giving a "Ahh." in acknowledgement. "I see.. and.. this man of importance wouldn't happen to be a captain of a infamous ship, which you two need a lift by in saving the worlds, and all that wishy washy stuff in the good of whats it called... Big heart shaped dingy in the skies." Demyx and Axel both blinked in shock and surprised. "What a minute now, how do you know all that!?" Axel said, looking at the pirate in the eye. "Well... obviously, according to your attire, you are not of this world, and therefore you must be the people with no hearts, and in this time of reckoning I would find two strangers in Tortuga looking for a man infamous as the sea yet don't even recall what he looks like when he's standing not too far away, offering the opportunity to aid on his wittle adventure. What do you two say to that?" The man said, as if trying to make sence while not making sence.

Axel narrowed his head and tilted his head to the side. "Who are you really?" He asked firmly. The man tipped his leather, sea worn tri-cotted hat with a witty smile on his face. "I'm captain Jack Sparrow... savy?"


	20. Not Chapter 20, An Abrupt End

**To my dear Readers,**

**I thank you all for your patience in awaiting each chapter to Hearts Enlighten but I regret to inform the story must abruptly end. In the time I have started this epic quest between the relationships of Axel and Demyx in the future after the events of KH2 according to my mind's eye as well as the aid of friends lending their characters to help keep the story flowly, things have changed. **

**The people whom allowed me to use their characters, the chatroom roleplay realm that was on DeviantART as ShadowsOrganization have since broken apart and the story realm in which gave life support for Axel and Demyx to interact with either be positive or negative could not continue. As the room was active, so was the permission to use each character from the people who were friends that would roleplay until sleep dragged us away. **

**But now, times have changed, people have lefted the chatroom, including myself as the storyline for it changed again and again until some of the characters didn't seem to fit anymore. Ties bewteen roleplay friends drifted apart and real life started to set in. **

**Had things been different, Hearts Enlighten would of continued to the very end. But because of unable to contact the character's owners, I do not have the permission to use them anymore. A sad fact, one that now can't be unavoidable. However, the fate of Hearts Enlighten is that it shall remain up here for the enjoyment of readers and fans as I move on to my personal fanfics I intend to pick up back on, as well as introduce new fics. **

**Hearts Enlighten shall always be remembered as the fic that brought back in 'heart' of good long fanfics amongst small short shories of either pointlessness, excessive sexual use, or simplified chapters that were too fast paced, with short chapters so the author can impress their readers with frequent updates. True fanfics are the ones with juicy details, highs and lows of the storyline, giving true meaning to life of either canon or original characters. **

**And so my dear readers, I leave you with this final note that Hearts Enlighten shall be labeled as a Dead fic, unless by some miracle, I am able to obtain permission once again by the people I once roleplayed, befriended and enjoyed being with. Until then, we lay to rest a fanfic that helped inspired others to take the extra step in fanfics with deep emotion and usage of detail.**

**Rest in peace Hearts Enlighten, may you still bring inspiration to others looking to express their budding creativity in fanfiction. 3**

**~ Valiax Gryphon**


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